


The Ten Seos

by secooper87



Series: The Child of Balime [41]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Torchwood
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crossover, Mystery, Timey-Wimey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-01
Updated: 2014-06-10
Packaged: 2018-01-17 19:02:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 49
Words: 86,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1399015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secooper87/pseuds/secooper87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sunglasses finally decides to go Time Lord Victorious on her own timeline, gathering her former incarnations in a universe not her own.  But this time... she'll have to deal with the consequences herself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

How is a god born?

It is said that in a Garden far beyond the limits of our own reality, a thousand kinds of flora grow — in response to and in tune with the universe itself. The Garden tells the story of reality, and reality adopts its patterns from the Garden.

The future rustles in its leaves.

The past lingers in its shadows.

And it's also said that within this Garden, a thousand years ago, three flowers blossomed. Flowers which birthed three gods — powerful beyond belief.

We have no words, in our reality, to describe these gods.

Except for one.

We call her Glorificus.

* * *

The Ninth Seo stepped out onto the surface of the Earth. Did a quick scan using the new little gizmo she had bought on Tresus Major, and now wore around her wrist. Neat little thing, lots of green lights — cheery and bright!

Checked the results of the scan. Grinned to herself. "Right place, and they've only had a five minute head start!" She clapped the scan device shut. "Next step? Find a dashing companion who'll ask lots of questions and applaud my every move."

She turned around. Found a very cute — if a little geeky — bloke standing a short ways away. Examining her ship, Oliver, with utter fascination and wonder in his eyes.

"And we have a winner," Seo said.

* * *

"So... explain this again," said the cute bloke — whose name turned out to be Diggory. "I thought you said you were only five minutes behind them."

"That's what I thought."

"But actually," said Diggory, "they've been here... five years?!"

"Oi!" Seo protested, turning on him. Her long black hair flashed in the sunlight. "Cosmically speaking, five minutes and five years are very close together."

"The difference being that it takes me five minutes to have a cup of coffee," said Diggory. He pointed at the Vestulon of Craeo, the modern art sculpture that had just finished being constructed. "While it takes this city five years to put up something like that."

Seo sighed. Hands on her hips. "Listen. Do you want to help me very cleverly foil all this lot's plans? Or are you just content to point fingers at my slightly inaccurate timekeeping?"

Diggory shrugged. "I'm just saying, after five years... how would we even know where to start looking for them?"

Seo thought a moment.

Then spun around, and pointed at the Vestulon of Craeo. "There."

"The sculpture?" said Diggory.

Seo shot him a half-grin. "Sculpture?" she said, strolling off. "All that human evolution, and you lot still have no idea when a sculpture isn't actually a sculpture at all!"

* * *

"We'll make sure you suffer for this, Seo!" shouted one of the Andromedans, banging against the lid of the cryo-sleep chamber. "If it's... the... last..."

Then he nodded off to sleep.

Seo beamed. Turned to the robot she'd reprogrammed. "And you," she said. "You've got your instructions. Right?"

"Affirmative," said the robot.

Seo turned. "Brilliant!" she declared. Taking Diggory by the hand and leading him out of the bunker. "In which case, I think everything's just about wrapped up. All I have to do is just take a look-see at..." she reached into her pocket, and produced the object she'd just retrieved from the aliens, "this!"

For the first time, Diggory got to really examine it closely. He frowned. It didn't seem the kind of object that would cause three alien thieves and a time-space superhero to fight over. It looked more like... a lump of rock.

"What is it?" Diggory asked.

"Just a fragment," Seo replied, hooking it up to some wires that snaked out from her wrist gizmo. "From a destroyed artifact. I've been making a sweep, recently, trying to gather up all the pieces. Make sure they don't fall into the wrong hands."

Which still didn't explain what it was a fragment of.

But at least it was something vaguely resembling an explanation.

"Funny, though," Seo muttered, as the wrist gizmo lit up, and a series of data flipped through the air just in front of her — too fast for Diggory to read. "Normally they're in museums or mislabeled as moon rocks. Yet this one seemed to appear out of nowhere."

"But what's it a fragment of?" Diggory asked. "And why are people so eager to get their hands on it?"

"Why? Not a clue," said Seo, stifling a yawn. "All looks like the same drivel to me. Rather read Jane Austen, personally. But every so often you get a few tidbits that are dangerous. Never can tell."

"And this one?"

"Nothing dangerous that I can see," said Seo. She sighed, as the data kept scrolling past. "Yada yada yada. In the year 2430, someone named Pado hurts his knee about three galaxies from here." Kept letting it scroll through. "Elections. Elections again. More about elections. Political disgrace, Lizard-kings on Serius 4, blah, blah, blah, blah, electric ice skating, a judicial trial, blah, blah…" Then she blinked. Her eyes went wide. "Wait! Wait!"

The data froze. Then backtracked, and froze on a set of incomprehensible-looking language.

"That," said Seo. Reading through it more carefully. "Something's funny about it. Like it doesn't quite match up." She scrutinized it, closely. Then pointed. "Wait. Right there! That's an edit-mark."

"An edit mark?" Diggory asked.

"Yep," said Seo. "Just the tiniest little slip-up in the data. So small you wouldn't normally notice. Unless you're brilliant. Which I am." She flashed him a grin, then turned back to the fragment, grin melting into concern. "Something was edited, here. Something substantial."

"You think there used to be something important on that fragment," Diggory guessed, "but then those aliens found it, and edited out the information?"

Seo gritted her teeth. "Except they can't do that!" she insisted. She waved the fragment in front of Diggory. "No one can edit this thing without a very special key — and I'm the only Key that's still around." She turned back to her wrist gizmo. Began poking and prodding at buttons and controls, making the information spin and blur and then blink out of existence all together. "I knew another Key, once, of course — but she was…"

Seo hesitated.

"…she died while being pulled out of time," she muttered, turning back to her work. Her whole face dark and gloomy, trying to forget something painful. "Let's just leave it at that."

Diggory just waited until she got to the part where she explained everything.

It had to be coming soon, right?

"Ha! Got it!" Seo cried, as the display re-emerged — this time in pale blue. The symbols still scrolling by too fast for Diggory to read. "Information about the edit. Lessee…"

But this time, as Seo watched the information, her face morphed into utter shock.

"No," she breathed. "It can't be!"

"What?" said Diggory. "Did… you find out about… this 'Key'?"

Seo unplugged her gizmo, and shoved the fragment into Diggory's hands. "Keep this here," she instructed. "Put it under your bed. Bury it. Shove it in concrete. I don't care! Just make sure no one finds it 'til I get back!"

She spun around, and began to run off.

"But... what did it say?" shouted Diggory after her. "What did you mean about the Key? What's going to happen?"

"Nothing, long as that stays on Earth," Seo called back. "Be back soon! Promise!"

Then she rushed into her space ship. And disappeared.

Diggory buried the bit of rock deep in the ground, in his backyard. Then shrugged, got back to his life, and forgot about it.

One week later, the fireball came.

* * *

The Ninth Seo frantically tried to get Oliver to cooperate. Give her proper steering, get himself in control so that she could do something to fix what had gone wrong!

To save her family!

The Key…

"It shouldn't be possible," Seo muttered, fiddling with the ring on her finger. Changing around some of the settings, to better trace one particular psychic resonance, out there. "But what if it is? What if she survived? What if she didn't really…!"

Seo could only hope.

Too many members of her family had died pointlessly. First her father, on Trenzalore — with the High Council ready to give him a new regeneration cycle and everything, like Clara had asked — if only that stupid CIA coordinator hadn't…!

A flash, and a jolt of massive time distortion in the vortex, and Seo was thrown clean across her ship. She struggled back to her feet, throwing herself at the controls. Wrestling with them, struggling to land on the planet she knew contained her only hope.

"Time distortion," Seo muttered, as the ship thudded to a shaky landing. "Could be a good sign! A time storm, or something… anything…!"

She didn't know how it would be possible.

But if there was any chance that she could undo the past — save the aunt she'd thought she'd lost — Seo would take the risk. No matter who had planted the edit. No matter what it was originally editing. Or what consequences that might have for Seo, herself.

If her aunt was still alive…!

Seo raced out, onto the surface of the planet Dicurion. But only just had time to close and lock her ship, behind her, when she nearly ran into a man.

Who was pointing a gun in her face.

Seo put up her hands. "I surrender?"

The man pressed the trigger.

"No, wait!" Seo cried.

But the light from the shot enveloped her, dragged her into its depths, and in a few moments... she knew she had been tricked. And now, she was lost.

Thus begins our story of the Ninth Incarnation of Seo.

  
  
_The Ninth Seo_   



	2. Chapter 2

The Tenth Seo, of course, we've already touched upon elsewhere in this chronicle. The Fall of the Eleventh, Seo's involvement with the Silence, her habit of toppling evil dictators, and her self-imposed status as God of reality have been explained in previous stories.

But her role in _this_ story begins at Torchwood. On 21st century Earth.

With Alison Korjensky.

Alison Korjensky, down in the Torchwood Hub, played the footage over again. All those children, all around the world. Stopped in place, frozen. Blank expressions on their face.

"We are…" they said. "We are… we are… coming."

Everyone else in Torchwood had headed off for their own investigations. Buffy was back in London, looking after little David, and Alison was here. Trying to find something… out of the ordinary, that's what Buffy had said.

"Yeah, because kids freezing in place and getting possessed like this is completely normal," Alison muttered, clicking on other footage. "Thanks, Buffy."

The only abnormal thing she'd found, so far, was that older guy who'd spoken in unison with the kids. But Gwen was already looking into that one.

What was Buffy…?

Alison paused. Then, on a whim, pulled up footage for Buffy's flat, right around when this had first happened. Rewound the CCTV footage just a bit, and watched.

There was Buffy. Coming out of her flat.

And then… she wavered. Clutching the railing for dear life, hand against her head, grimacing. Another one of her dizzy spells, it seemed…

Except that the moment Buffy's reactions had stopped…

Was the very moment the children had frozen.

And it happened again, the second time that all the children had frozen. Never overlapping, but… always just before.

"She's connected to this, somehow," Alison mused, leaning into the computer screen and squinting. "But… how? And why her?"

"Good question," came a voice from the other end of the Hub.

Alison nearly jumped out of her chair, as she spun around to face… a stranger.

Mahogany hair, smart-looking black dress, heels clicking against the floor every time she walked. Sunglasses perched on the top of her head.

"Who are you?" Alison demanded, getting up and trying to maneuver herself into the perfect defensive position. "How'd you get in here?"

The woman laughed. "Alison," she said, softly. " _I_ was the one who taught you how to break into Torchwood in the first place. Remember?"

Alison stared. Realizing who this was. "You're… but that makes you…!"

The woman responded by flying over to Alison and sweeping her into a hug. "Missed you." She stepped away, stared fondly into Alison's eyes. "You're not as tall as I remember from nine lives ago."

"But you shouldn't be here, right?" Alison insisted. "Past-you might be back any second!"

"No," the Tenth Seo dismissed. "I remember. I wasn't around for this." Her grin fell away, and a sudden seriousness fell across her. "But I am, now. Listen, Alison. I don't have much time. But I have to tell you about the 456."

Alison blinked. "Sorry?"

The Tenth Seo looked around herself. Grimaced. Then turned back to Alison, hands on the side of her head. "Do you trust me?"

"Always."

The Tenth Seo smiled.

And then Alison's head swam with information. Things zipping through her mind, places and events and people and… the aliens, oh, God, Alison could see what they looked like, could hear them demanding 10% of Earth's children, could watch as they wiped out everyone in Thames House, and Ianto died in Jack's arms…

Alison gasped as the connection was broken.

"The… the 456," Alison panted, stepping away. Hands clutching her head, as she struggled to absorb all the information she'd just been given. "That's whose coming. They're going to take human kids and use them as… as… drugs!"

"And you're not supposed to know that, yet," came another voice.

Alison spun around. Saw a woman — short, wavy black hair, flashing blue eyes — appear in the Hub, wearing a vortex manipulator. The woman stepped forwards, eyes fixed on the Tenth Seo.

"Can't reverse it this time, Jenny," said the Tenth Seo, with a cheeky grin. She gestured at Alison. "I implanted it all directly into her mind. Try to retcon her, and she'll still remember every detail. My little trick."

"You can't do this," said Jenny. "Do you have any idea what the consequences would be?"

The Tenth Seo tilted her head. "Let's see," she mused. Counted them off on her fingers. "Jack's grandson won't die. Ianto won't die. Jack won't hate himself. That'll prevent that particular spiral of self-destruction. Oh, and his family will still be on speaking terms with him, which'll be—"

"And STP?" Jenny demanded. "His status as the savior of the galaxy? Everywhere he's gotten has been because of this moment in time. The hurt and pain he still feels because of it."

The Tenth Seo laughed. "So he won't be so stodgy and stuck-up in our time!" she said. "Won't go through that war, or any of the rest of it. I'm happy about that! It means he'll stop with all this 'Exalted Boe' stuff, and get back to being fun-loving Jack! The…"

Alison didn't know what they were talking about. Didn't care.

She knew everything, now. Knew exactly who the 456 were, when they'd be arriving, how to defeat them, and even how to keep them away. Knew why the children were speaking all at once, how it worked and what it meant, knew where the 456 came from and what they'd done across the rest of the Mutter's Spiral. What they'd continue to do in the future.

"I have to tell Jack," Alison said, grabbing up her jacket and racing towards the door of the hub. She knew where Jack was, too — at that hospital. She could see it so clearly in her mind. "I have to stop all this."

"No, Alison, wait!" Jenny cried.

But Alison was already out the door and on her way. Nothing would stop her. Not even Jenny.

Turned out, Jenny never came after her, anyways.

* * *

The Tenth Seo tackled Jenny to the ground before she could leap after Alison, the two rolling across the floor of the Hub.

"What have you done?!" Jenny cried, disentangling herself from Seo. She jumped back to her feet. "Are you mad?!"

The Tenth Seo righted herself, coolly. Then swept down to pick up her toppled sunglasses. "I'm stopping a terrible event that will traumatize Jack forever," she argued, replacing her sunglasses. "You know he never got over it."

"Yes, I do," Jenny snapped. "That's why it spurred everything that happened next! Everything he's done throughout the galaxy, because he never forgot what happened at Torchwood! You're jeopardizing _that_!"

The Tenth Seo shrugged. "We'd still have run across them on Xengodu. Knowing you and I, we'd still have had the same reaction. STP would still be formed. Those children would still be saved. None of it would change."

"All of it would change, and you know it," Jenny said. "You and I thought the group on Xengodu was unique — that the 222 were the only radiowave child-snatchers out there. He knew they weren't. Because of the 456. Because of _now_! He'd never have been so passionate or determined about going after these bullies and rounding them up, if it wasn't for the 456 and Torchwood. That's what started the whole thing!"

"Well," the Tenth Seo said, "I guess there's only one way to find out which of us is right." She turned, heading towards the doors of the Hub. "History's changed. No way to take it back. So! Wanna bet on who's the winner when we return to the future?"

"Why are you taking this so calmly?" Jenny shouted. "You can't change history like this! Especially not here and now. Don't you remember the Crystallizer?"

The Tenth Seo froze.

"The… Crystallizer…" she breathed.

"Yes," said Jenny. "You know? The Crystallizer that wasn't on any of the other worlds, just this one. This first one?" Her voice lowered. "Bet you forgot to tell Alison about _that._ "

The Tenth Seo's breathing grew rapid. Panicked. "She's walking right into a trap."

"Yes."

The Tenth Seo frantically pounded at the keyboard to open the automatic doors out of the Hub. "I've got to undo this," she said. Turned, raced forwards. "I've got to find another way. Get directly involved. Save Ianto myself, and—"

A sound screeched through the Hub.

A blaring sound, like the universe being ripped apart and torn up in front of them, as a portal cracked through the air and roared into existence, just beside the Tenth Seo. She only had time to turn, her face growing into shock…

Before she was pulled inside.

And the gap sealed up forever.

Jenny couldn't believe it. "Seo?" she called. Her hearts racing faster and faster by the second. "Seo!"

No answer.

Jenny tore through the Torchwood computer, rewiring and reconnecting fast as she could — like her life depended on it. So it could analyze the residue left by the portal.

"No," Jenny said. Pounding her fist against the screen, as she read the results. "The Crystallizer wanted you out of here. It pushed you out, just as someone else was trying to pull you in."

She stared at the Hub doors, hesitating.

Save Alison?

Or save Seo?

But the trail to Seo was growing colder every second. Jenny couldn't afford to waste time.

"I'm sorry," Jenny said, fiddling with the Vortex Manipulator. "But if I'm right, my sister's in a lot more trouble than you are, right now, Alison."

And she disappeared back into space and time.

* * *

The first thing the Tenth Seo noticed, when she came to, was that the air felt… different.

As if it were a living thing, breathing in and out around her. It stung a bit against her skin.

She sat up. Found herself lying on the floor of… a prison cell, looked like. Standard cell, except instead of a door, it had an energy-field looking wall that was composed of… something that kept moving and twisting and writhing. Seo thought she could see faces inside it.

She squinted.

And the faces seemed to disappear into nothing but the faint glow surrounding it. Illuminating the area around her cell — but little beyond that.

Seo got up. Tentatively pressed her hand against the not-energy-field-wall, and felt a violent scream tear through her — a scream not her own. It shoved her back against the far stone wall, her head spinning as she tried to get herself back together.

"Other dimension?" the Tenth Seo asked. "Or other universe?"

She tried to peer through the darkness, hoping her eyes would adjust. They didn't.

"Other universe," the Tenth Seo decided. Shrugged. "Meh. Not the first time. Even if Father always said it was impossible."

Her mind began racing through possibilities of how to get home. In the past, when she'd accidentally or purposely wound up outside the universe, she'd always had her ship along, too.

This time…

No Oliver.

"I can survive the Void," the Tenth Seo reminded herself. Then sighed. "If I'm lucky."

And she couldn't guarantee she'd even be in the correct reality, afterwards, anyways. What if she wound up in yet a different universe? What if…?

The Tenth Seo froze.

As she saw the creatures that had suddenly appeared before her. Stumpy little humanoid creatures, spots all over their wrinkled faces, clothed in sack-cloth with pointed ears and wispy hair. Seo had seen them before. She recognized them.

"No," the Tenth Seo breathed. Surged forwards, as more and more arrived, looking in at her curiously. "No! This can't be happening!"

Because she knew where she was, now.

"We heard you were trying to get home, for revenge," came a huge, booming voice from the darkness. "So we brought you back first. Before you had time to complete your plans. So _we_ could have our revenge on _you_."

The Tenth Seo felt herself shaking. "No…"

"Glorificus," said the boomy voice. As it stepped into the light.

  
  
_The Tenth Seo_   



	3. Chapter 3

There wasn't any way to describe the creature the Tenth Seo saw. In some ways, he looked like a normal man. But there was something different in the higher dimensions. Seo could see his essence spiraling and flowing and powerful, oozing across dimensional gaps and barriers.

And beside him, a shorter man. Bald. But with the same higher-dimensional power.

"Look at you," the taller one sneered. "Is this the same Glorificus that nearly crushed us in battle? This fallen, frightened wreck?"

"You must be the two who exiled her," Seo realized. She leapt forwards. "Listen, you've got this wrong. I'm not Glorificus."

The two looked at one another. Then laughed.

"I'm not!" Seo insisted. "I'm the Key!"

"She's attempting to trick us, again," said the shorter man. "Seems old habits never die."

Seo gritted her teeth. "Can't you just look at me and _see_ that I'm not—?!"

"But you are," said the taller one. "That's what we see. The spirit wall feels it, as it repels you. Our minions see it within you. Fallen, weak, and defenseless you may be, Glorificus. But we still know you."

Oh.

Hang on.

Seo was starting to see what was happening, here.

"You picked up on that little bit of Glory inside of me!" Seo realized. "Thought I was her."

She was met by blank looks.

"You've been looking for Glory for a while, right?" Seo asked. "You knew she'd been dumped into a mortal body. You've been scanning for it." She stepped forwards. Met their eyes with her own. Their eyes burned as she looked at them, but Seo ignored this. "But Glory died a long time ago. That's why you didn't find her. She's dead."

The two men looked at one another. Then shook their heads, amused.

"She was in mortal form — Ben Wilkinson," Seo insisted. "Giles killed her so she couldn't use the Key to tear down the walls of reality and get back here." She gestured at herself. " _I'm_ the Key. Got it? What you're picking up is a tiny bit of Glory that rubbed off on me, when I was created to fight her. It's not real."

Still, the other two didn't seem to believe her. Were only amused by her words.

"My name is Seo," Seo tried. "I was created to fight _against_ Glory. I don't know who you are, or what happened in your war, or anything about this." Her voice lowered. "I'm not your enemy. Now let me go."

The short man tilted his head. "I think she really doesn't know us."

Finally!

"Yes," mused the tall man. He regarded her, impartially. "Interesting. What happened in that other universe? We thought none could bring you down like this."

Seo gritted her teeth. "For the last time, I'm not—"

"I'll jog your memory," the tall man cut in, stepping forwards. "I am…"

And then a series of sounds issued forth from his mouth, sounds Seo had never heard and couldn't replicate with her vocal chords. It was a rush and a roar, a sweeping of time and the sounds of a thousand screams from a battlefield. It was pain and anguish, knitted together and wrapped in dust and emptiness.

"And I," the shorter said, "am…"

Another series of sounds. These sharper, shorter, more piercing. Emptiness and horror, surrounded by sorrow and a desperate kind of grief.

Seo shook her head. Trying to translate what she heard into something short, that she could repeat.

"So your names are… Banana Tree… and Kermit?" she tried.

The two scowled.

"I am not… Banana Tree," said the tall man. "I am Destruction. I am death and war and pain."

"And I am Chaos," the short one replied. "The end of all things. When life is blotted out into meaningless, and entropy takes over. I close the universe, as I would close a book."

Seo nodded, slowly. "Right…" She gave a sheepish smile. "Well. Nice to meet you, Banana Tree and Kermit! I'm Seo! I don't belong here. So if you'll just let me go…"

She slipped off her sunglasses, shoving them in the perfect spot to reflect the beam that she'd just noticed, in the corner, was creating this not-force-wall ensnaring her, so that the light folded back on itself. She grinned, and burst forwards.

Screamed.

And was thrust backwards, yet again. The ripple of a thousand voices shouting out at her, clawing through her, as if she hadn't reflected anything. As if the not-force-wall had still been there.

"But it… _was_ still there," Seo gasped, working it out. "My eyes… don't see this reality right. I can't… process…"

"Look at you, Glorificus," said Destruction. "Once, you could manipulate this universe with just a thought. And now…"

"I'm not her!" Seo shouted. She slammed her hands down on the ground. "When will you listen?! The reason I can't manipulate your universe or even see it correctly is because _I'm not from here_! _I'm not Glory_!"

"…now," Chaos continued, ignoring Seo's outburst, "you cannot manipulate anything at all. You cannot touch us or our reality. All your plans have failed."

Seo stopped. Staring down at the ground, very still.

"We can take our revenge," said Chaos. "But you can't take yours. There's no escape."

Seo still didn't look up.

"Can't manipulate anything in this reality," Seo repeated. "No matter how powerful I am in mine, I can't…" Then stopped. Shot her head up, eyes twinkling. As a broad grin spread across her face.

"But I can," Seo told them, fiddling with a small ring on her finger. "There's one thing in this reality that doesn't obey your rules. It obeys _mine_."

Destruction seemed amused. "And what's that?"

"Me," said Seo.

And sent out her psychic signal.

* * *

"What do you mean, 'disappeared'?" said the man who'd once been Jack Harkness. He wasn't called that, anymore. Many millennia had passed since those days.

Now, he was the Exalted Boe.

Jenny plugged the borrowed Vortex Manipulator into the machinery surrounding them. "See for yourself," she said. Threw herself at the machinery controls, frantically poking and prodding as it spewed output. "Pulled into another universe. Something had been pulling at her for a while, and the Crystallizer let it in. Let it take her." Jenny slammed her fists against the machinery. "Can't pick up where she is, though! Not a strong enough trace."

"Have you tried using your…?"

Jenny looked down at the ring on her finger. "Still not working," she muttered. "Hasn't since she started going mad. Why hold open a communications link, when she refuses to listen to me?"

"She could use the rings to establish a link to you," Boe proposed. "And to this universe. Allow you to pull her back home. She knows that. She'd do it."

"Not if it means admitting she's wrong, she won't," Jenny replied. Frowned, as she twisted the ring around her finger, concentrating on it. "Besides. It feels almost like… she's using its psychic energy for something else…"

The machinery whirred into life, again — this time at the far end of the room. Jenny sprung towards the alerts and flashing lights. Pressed a button, and stared at the readout.

"…something like that," Jenny breathed.

Boe leaned over Jenny's shoulder.

And swore.

"She's finally done it," Jenny said. Her eyes on the readout. "What she's been doing to everyone else — screwing with their personal timelines, altering history without caring about the consequences — she's finally doing it to _herself_."

"Nine times over," Boe agreed. He swore again. "The idiot! Doesn't she know the risks?" He brushed a hand through his white hair. "No, don't answer that. Stupid question."

A smile spread across Jenny's face. "Risks aside, this does give us something to trace!" She raced back, unplugged the Vortex Manipulator. "Find the rest of her, and I'll find out what universe she's in. I can get her back!"

With a few pressed buttons, Jenny faded into the air.

* * *

Dawn Summers bit her lower lip, as she ran beside the first incarnation of Seo. Watching her niece's blond hair streak back behind her, brown eyes fixed and determined.

They'd come to this world to find a cure for Buffy's mysterious illness. And here they were, stuck in another adventure. Seo blocking out all the hurt and pain she really felt inside, so she could pretend things were normal.

Except they weren't.

Dawn couldn't forget that. Couldn't forget that Buffy was collapsing, back at home, dizzy and confused and even unable to remember things at times.

Seo seemed to notice. Turned her freckled face towards Dawn.

"I still have the vial," she offered. Took it out of a pocket, waving it in front of Dawn. "See?"

"After everything we've been through to get it," Dawn muttered, "that cure had better work."

Seo glanced over her shoulder. Then grabbed Dawn by the arm, and pulled her off to the side, shutting them into an abandoned building and locking the door behind her. She shushed her aunt, as they waited in the shadows.

The sounds of footsteps and angry priests passed by, outside.

Then… silence.

"It has to," Seo decided. "The symptoms are all the same, right?"

"Except one," Dawn pointed out. "The sick people on this world couldn't see Key energy." She met Seo's eyes with her own. "Buffy could."

Seo hesitated.

"Tumors run in our family," Dawn said. "Buffy's right. That's what it's got to be."

"None of the tests showed that."

"Then we need to run more tests," Dawn decided. "Take Buffy to a hospital a gazillion years in the future where they've cured all this stuff, with no chance of any failed procedures or anything, and get her taken care of! We need to—!"

A howl surged through the air.

Seo turned, surprised, as the darkness ripped apart, beside them. And then swallowed her up — and sealed itself away. As if it had never been there.

Dawn lunged for her, but she'd already vanished.

It was too late!

She'd lost Seo, and it was…!

"I have to get you out of here," said a voice Dawn had never heard before.

Dawn spun around, finding herself face-to-face with a tall woman, blue eyes and short, wavy black hair. She was looking down at the Vortex Manipulator on her wrist.

"Your dimensional instability is skyrocketing, without her," said the woman. "I'll drop you back on Earth in this century. Until she gets back." She tried to take Dawn's arm.

But Dawn was having none of it.

She squirmed out of the woman's grip, then shoved her back when she tried again. "Who are you?" Dawn demanded. "What did you do with Seo? Because I'm not going anywhere until—"

"Jenny!" the woman cut in. "Seo's sister! You have to at least have heard of me, by now."

Oh.

So _this_ was Jenny.

"Seo's stuck in another universe," said Jenny, finally grabbing Dawn's arm. "And the sooner I get you to Earth and out of danger, the sooner I can find a way to get her back."

"Another universe?" Dawn said. Her face lit up. "Then you need me! I'm the Key — that's what I do. Let people travel across universes!"

Jenny hesitated.

"You can't do it without me," Dawn argued. "The walls between universes are unbreachable, now, right? Except with the Key."

"Dawn…"

"I'm the Key!" Dawn said. "Use me to get her back!"

"Dawn, I'm the Tenth Jenny," Jenny cut in. "My Seo is the Tenth Seo. I can't use you. In her timeline, you've been dead for centuries."

"But… but… huh?" said Dawn. She pointed at where Seo had just been. "You saw what happened. My Seo got taken, too! I mean, what's Tenth Seo doing? Scooping all her former-selves… out… of…?"

Dawn stopped.

Her eyes going wide.

"You're kidding," Dawn said.

Jenny didn't answer.

"Look, if my Seo got taken, then it's not wrong to use me to get _her_ back," Dawn insisted. "Anyone else, you can figure out on your own. But use me to save _my_ Seo. Please."

Jenny cringed. "I really shouldn't."

"Please!"

Jenny thought a moment more. Then sighed. "All right," she said. "I'll take you to Earth in the time zone where we've been tracking her. But you do only what I say, and tell _no one_ what you learn while you're there. Got that?"

Dawn nodded.

Jenny plugged a new set of coordinates into her Vortex Manipulator. "I'm gonna kill her for this," she muttered.

As she and Dawn disappeared.


	4. Chapter 4

Seo, blond hair and freckles, had felt herself falling. Then landed, with a thud she couldn't quite hear correctly, in a sandy pit. A looming greenish sky above her, and a rancid smell in her nose.

"So you're the thousandth," came a raspy voice.

Seo turned, to find a man in rags and tatters, coughing, his teeth bent at awkward angles, skin poxed and marked. He looked vaguely human at first glance, but when Seo looked more closely, she discovered he had three feet. And only one arm.

"Where am I?" Seo asked. Looked around herself. She realized she was in some kind of arena. People around there were cheering at her, shouting at her. There was a strange tang in the air, like she'd never felt before. It shuddered through her, alien and wrong and more foreign than she could imagine.

Then she noticed the warrior standing behind the ragged man.

The warrior, attired in gleaming armor, wielded a weapon made of… what looked like… smoke. Smoke that had been crafted into the shape of something vaguely scimitar-ish.

The warrior raised up his weapon.

"Wait!" Seo cried.

But the weapon crashed down, the smoke dissipating as it reached the ragged man's body. At first, Seo thought it had been harmless, but the ragged man seemed startled. Then gave a piercing scream, one that grated through Seo's entire body, and he began to gargle and gasp. Something was pulsing from him, spilling from him…

And then it repeated.

Over again.

And again.

That moment when he'd died. A spiral of repeated time oozing out of him, like blood, as the ragged man keeled over.

The time distortion stopped.

As the man died.

"Nine hundred," said the warrior, advancing on Seo, "and ninety nine." He raised up his weapon again, and the crowd began to cheer even louder. "Now comes the final sacrifice. Given back to the dust of our world, Urgoz Nutcolz. We give unto you, god of our love, this thousandth."

Seo sprung out of the way, diving for safety. Then jumped to her feet, looking for a way out. Except there wasn't one. Not visible. She'd appeared in the middle of some sort of time-distorting gladiatorial battle, and there wasn't any way she could see to get out.

She heard a sound behind her.

Spun around, just in time to see the second warrior, whom she hadn't noticed, bringing down his smoke-scimitar upon her head…

And was stopped as a hand caught his single arm, and shoved him around.

The woman he now faced looked… human. Two arms, two legs. Just like Seo. But taller, with frizzy red hair.

She ducked the warrior's next advance, dancing to avoid kicks from his legs, then darted in at the last minute, grabbed him up by the torso, and twisted him around so he flipped, head-over-heels, through the air. Scimitar flying from his hands.

The redhead turned to Seo. Grabbed her by the wrist. "We have to go," she said, in a crisp English accent.

"What…?" said Seo — because a part of her knew who this was, and didn't want to believe it.

"Yes, yes, it's a philosophical impossibility!" the redhead replied. "We'll deal with that later. Right now, we have to get out of here. The third's keeping the gate open for us."

"Third?" Seo cried, as they began to run. "There are three of—?!"

"Yes," said the woman. She tugged Seo along so they ran even faster. "Hurry up, or we'll…!"

They were interrupted by the warrior who'd first assaulted Seo. He sprinted forwards, his face a sneer, his single arm thrusting the scimitar at the blond girl.

Seo shrieked, ducking out of the way at the last second, but the edges of the smoke seared as they touched her scalp.

The pain made her stumble, and she lost her grip on the redhead's arm. Was tugged backwards as if by a supernatural force — or by something she didn't understand, at least. Found herself towered over by the warrior, once more.

"One thousand lives to be lost!" he shouted. "One thousand be the cost! A thousand years, a thousand pains, a thousand cheers, a thousand—"

"Hey, Shakespeare!" shouted an American voice from not far off. "Try this for a rhyming dictionary!"

The warrior looked up.

And was struck, right in the face, by a hard-cover anthology of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.

Seo was grabbed up, again, by the redhead.

And hoisted out of the arena, racing right beside a Goth-looking woman with heavy makeup and black clothes.

"You carry around the _Complete Works of William Shakespeare_ with you, everywhere you go?" the redhead exclaimed, as the Goth shoved the door shut and raced to catch up. "That's mad even by our standards."

"Hey, Shakespeare's cool," the Goth snapped. "Back off." She nodded over at Seo. "What about Baby? She okay?"

"Fine, far as I can see," said the redhead. "In a bit of shock, but that's only natural. After all, the metaphysical implications of us three being here simultaneously is positively…"

"Cram it, Plato," said the Goth. "You're just making her more confused."

The Goth looked around, then directed them all around a hazy-looking hill — which wound up being only half there, when they rounded it and arrived at the back. It had sloped over like the frozen crest of a wave, yet all the signs were that the hill had been created by natural means. Which didn't make any sense.

They hid back there.

Waiting and catching their breaths.

"You're me," Seo whispered, looking at the other two. "You two… you're both…!"

"Give the Baby a prize," muttered the Goth.

The redhead crossed her arms. "Do you have to be so mean?" she chided. "I can't believe I'm going to turn into you, some day."

"Yeah? Well, I wasn't too thrilled, either," Goth replied. "But you take what you get. And at least—" with a pointed look at the redhead, "I'm not sleeping around with someone else's husband."

The redhead blushed, and looked away. "Shut it."

"So if you two," the Goth continued, "could just clam up until I work out when it's safe to…"

That was when a wave of energy and time distortion burst from the arena.

And knocked them all out, cold.

* * *

Dawn couldn't quite believe who she saw, when she arrived.

"Jack!" Dawn said.

It was… a much older version of Jack. His face looked sunken and worn. His eyes tired. His hair completely white.

Dawn hadn't thought he _could_ age.

"He's called Boe, now," Jenny told Dawn, letting go of her. "The Respected and Exalted Boe."

Boe pointed at Dawn. "What's she doing, here?"

"By taking her first incarnation out of time," Jenny explained, "Seo left Dawn all alone. On an alien world. Unstable."

Boe winced. "I see."

"Typical Seo, really," Jenny said, plugging the vortex manipulator into — what looked like — a space ship of some kind. "Never thinking through all the implications before she acts." She glanced back at Boe. "I managed to get readings from as many incarnations as I could. Who knows if it'll be enough."

"Or if her changing around her own past," Boe said, "has already triggered enough side effects that there's nothing we can do."

"That's a space ship," Dawn announced, pointing.

Both Jenny and Boe looked back at her, and Dawn realized she'd managed to stumble right into a real 'duh' moment. Talk about sounding stupid.

"I mean… it's… you know…" Dawn struggled to vocalize her thoughts. "…connected to all this super sophisticated technology, and it doesn't exactly look like a space ship or anything, just…"

"It's a Type 80 TARDIS," said Jenny. "And it's mine."

Uh…

Okay, then.

"We've been using it to track Seo's alterations to the timeline," said Jenny. "Try to locate her and stop her before she mucks up the Web of Time too badly."

The machinery around them was going slightly crazy, at the moment. Warning lights and alarms and things going off all over the place.

"As you can imagine," said Jenny, turning back to her work, "at the moment, we're picking up timeline tampering on a somewhat massive scale."

Boe tapped one of the screens. "These Seos aren't going to the same place."

"No. It looks like she's transporting her earlier selves in clusters. All to different spots in space and time, across that universe. And none to where our Seo is, right now."

"Why?"

"You want me to justify her actions?" Jenny gave a bitter laugh. "I can't. Never could."

Dawn felt lost, again. Seriously lost.

"But… but… where's Seo?" Dawn asked.

"In another universe," Boe replied. Shaking his head. "Or at least, ten of her are."

"At least she's not dipping into her own future," Jenny offered. "That could get even more paradoxical."

"But shouldn't that be impossible?" Dawn insisted. "Like, _really_ impossible? On several levels?"

Jenny glanced down at the ring on her finger. "Should be. But… she's done it anyways. And, in doing so, severed our link to her."

Dawn squinted at the ring.

Tarnished, silver. Beaten and chipped in places, as if it had been through hell and back. Still, Dawn thought it felt vaguely… familiar. Like something she should know, but couldn't place.

"The other incarnations of Seo will have rings of their own," Boe proposed to Jenny. "You two have been using those for a long time."

"I thought of that," Jenny replied. "Their rings aren't working, either. Probably something our Seo did, transporting her past selves in the first place." She slammed down her fist, in frustration. "Communication across time, space, universes — anything! But only if _she_ cooperates. That's the catch!"

"You guys communicate using rings?" Dawn asked. Coming closer, trying to figure out why those rings felt so familiar. "Like, communicate across universes and stuff?"

Sure beat out a cell phone.

Jenny snatched her hand away, obscuring the ring.

Cringed.

"I can't… tell you too much," Jenny admitted. "The rings were a gift. You haven't gotten there, yet."

A gift from…?

Oh.

Dawn had a sneaking suspicion she knew why these rings allowed communications across universes. And who, exactly, was going to give them to Jenny and Seo, in the future.

(Dawn wondered how she'd manage to do that.)

"Okay, so you can't tell me some things," Dawn said. "I get that. So just tell me — what's going on? Where is _my_ Seo? And why is _your_ Seo transporting past incarnations of herself into another universe?"

Jenny slumped. "To answer all your questions at once," she admitted, "I have absolutely no idea."


	5. Chapter 5

The Sixth Seo opened her eyes. Brushed back short-cropped blond hair, as she sat up. Her sweater was dirty. Which was a shame, because it was dry-clean only and fuzzy and Chiara loved to snuggle with her when she had it on, and she didn't know when the next time she'd get to the dry-cleaner's was. Probably not for a while, considering she'd gotten kidnapped.

Then Seo saw a sight she honestly never expected to see.

"Oh, no," Seo said, staring at the face in front of her. A very familiar face — black, with a fro and sharp, intelligent eyes. The person belonging to the face offered her a hand, but instead, Seo leapt to her feet, and rounded on her. "Did _you_ do this? Because if so, you've broken countless laws of time. That is very, very bad, and if you don't fix it by the time I count to three, I'm going to…"

"So you _are_ me," said the Fifth Seo. "Next version, I'm guessing." She shrugged in her jacket, fro bouncing with the action. "Figured as much, after seeing her."

The Fifth Seo pointed her thumb back at the petite brown haired pigtail girl in the spring dress and boots, who looked so much like a little kid that she was often mistaken for one, and was currently wandering around the metal corridor, trying to analyze their surroundings.

"Three of us together," the Sixth Seo muttered. "Incarnations four, five, and six."

The Fourth Seo shot her counterparts a glare. "Oh, don't even bring up the 456! Not with what STP's going through right now." She crossed her arms. "I was right in the middle of a mission when I got swept away."

Five kept inspecting her sixth incarnation. Trying to suppress a laugh.

"What?" said the Sixth Seo.

"I just thought we'd get cooler and cooler over time," said the Fifth Seo. Shrugged. "Looks like you went with the opposite approach."

The Sixth Seo put her hands on her hips. "Well, I'm fine with letting you be the 'Cool Seo'," she said. "Just let me be the Seo who chides the others when we wind up creating a paradox in another reality. And— hey!" She raised on her tip-toes. "Chibi-me! Not too far out, k?" She gestured at her eyes. "Stay in sight."

The Fourth Seo glanced over her shoulder. "Trying to pull rank?" she asked, with a small, somewhat smug grin. Gave a little laugh, and shook her head. Pigtails wiggling. Then got back to her investigation.

Six cringed. "I forgot we were like that," she said. Thought a moment. "She must have been taken right in the middle of—"

"Looking like that?" said Five. "Pigtails? Spring dress? You better believe it."

The entire corridor shook, as something exploded nearby.

The three Seos raced to the nearest view-port, hacking into controls and opening it up. Watching as the vast emptiness of space appeared before them, along with what looked like a battle fleet. A series of fiery explosions occurring, on the sides of the ships.

For several seconds, none of them said anything.

"Fiery explosions," said the Fifth Seo, at last. "In… space."

Seo Four jumped, trying to see better. But the view-port was a bit too high up for her to get a good look. "That shouldn't happen!"

The Sixth Seo helped Chibi-Her up, so she could see better. "Yes, normally, you'd be right," the Sixth Seo explained. "But, see, there's this thing called 'other universes'. Alternate realities in which our laws of physics—"

Four twisted around so that her feet touched the floor, then flipped Sixth Seo over her head and sent her crashing against the far wall. Blinked. And only then seemed to realize what she'd done.

"Oh, sorry!" said Chibi-Seo. "It's my instinctive reaction to when people treat me like a kid."

Sixth Seo groaned, dragging herself off the floor. "I remember," she muttered. Trying to feel around and feel for swelling. "It would be, in your incarnation."

Four rushed over, trying to help her up. Five just sat back, laughing a little.

The Sixth Seo righted herself. Then planted an officious look on her face. "One of those explosions was us," she reminded the others. Pointing. "From that way. Engines, probably. Which means that if any of us want to see tomorrow, we need to fix it."

"Or, alternately," the Fourth Seo said, waving the finger with her ring on it, "we could use our rings to tell Jenny to…"

"No!" Seos Five and Six shouted, together.

Four seemed confused.

"Contact Jen, and Them-Of-The-Stupid-Hats will know everything," Five explained. Gestured at all of them, gathered together. "Doubt they'll be too happy about this."

"Besides, Jenny's…" Six struggled for the right words. "…having some issues. At my point in time."

Five crossed her arms. "Even into her next life?"

"I'm working on it!" Seo insisted. She turned, and headed off down the corridor. "But right now, I think it's more important that we apply our minds to fixing this ship. Before we all die."

Four scowled. "Because of course, it'll be that easy!"

Six ignored her.

"She's got a point," said Five. "Unless you picked up a degree in 'Physics of Other Universes' since you were me — probably not that simple."

The Sixth Seo spun around. "Chiara, don't argue with me, just—" She stopped herself. "I mean… um… Cool-Me and Chibi-Me. Don't argue. Just get over there."

The Fourth and Fifth Seos looked at one another. Then at the Sixth Seo. Shock written over every feature.

"I don't believe it," said Four.

"Totally don't believe it," Five agreed. "But look at her. It's all that makes sense."

The Sixth Seo backed away, cringing. "Now, don't get any ideas, here…"

"You're not pulling rank!" said the Fourth Seo. She pointed at Six. "You! You're a mom!"

Six sucked in a sharp breath.

"The Mom-Seo," Five labeled. "The Stay-at-Home, Don't-Do-Anything-Too-Risky, Sweaters-and-Cookies version… of us!"

"It… wasn't like that!" the Sixth Seo insisted. Trying to keep the blush off her face. "It's _not_ like that! Chiara… we go off and have adventures all the time. She just… has to be back by bedtime, and wear the correct weight coat, and not get in too much…"

The others just kept staring at her.

"She's not even my real daughter!" the Sixth Seo insisted. "I'm just raising her."

Still, the stares.

Yeah. Six guessed that it was true what they said — you never feel quite as self-conscious about the decisions you've made in life… as when you have to justify them… to yourself.

Or your selves.

"How can you go from being _me_ ," said Four, crossing her arms, "to being _you_?!"

"Let's just repair the ship!" the Sixth Seo said, stomping off.

The others followed, behind.

"Any clue what the deal is with this space-fleet?" the Fifth Seo asked. "Or are we trapped in someone's bad Star Wars imitation universe?"

The Fifth Seo opened her mouth to reply.

But was cut off by the announcement.

"To the glory and the death!" shouted the voice. "To serve the almighty Glorificus!"

And the responding echoes of, "To serve the almighty Glorificus!" resounded through the ship.

The Seos all froze. Looked at one another, horror written across all their features. As they suddenly realized which universe they were in. And exactly what must be going on around them.


	6. The Story of the Sixth Seo

_Seo hadn't been meaning to do it. Seriously!_

_It was only that… well, she'd just regenerated… and Oliver was always kind of fussy for the first few weeks after she got a new body, and…_

_Okay, fine._

_She might as well admit it._

_She'd… hit something in the Vortex._

_Big deal! Everyone has a few love-taps on their vehicle of choice, right? Everyone gets into at least one head-on collision while racing down the time vortex at top speeds. Everyone has some instance where they find themselves spinning out of control through time and space before effecting a frantic and probably not very wise emergency materialization!_

_At least, that was the story Seo was going with, as she staggered out of Oliver, the whole ship billowing with smoke before shutting its doors and not letting her inside._

_She half expected to see Jenny, standing directly outside, giving her some Time Vortex Speeding Ticket or whatever._

_But it was just an empty bunker._

_"Seo, one," Seo wheezed, catching her breath. "Time Lord jerks… nothing. Beat…!"_

_She froze, as she noticed the bodies._

_So many, their faces twisted in utter agony, their skin cold and their eyes glossy. Women, men, aliens, anyone and everyone Seo could imagine, and they'd all been crammed into what looked like a concrete bunker. Hunkered down as if in hiding. And now… they were all dead._

_Seo leaned down to examine a woman. Could see the hints of gold and precious stones sewn into the inner lining of the woman's jacket. Not just in hiding — on the run. Maybe this had been a stop-off point in some great exodus. Maybe…_

_A sniffle._

_Seo looked up, abruptly._

_The sound had stopped, replaced by silence. No, not quite silence. Just… on the edges of her senses… Seo could hear breathing. Panicked, trembling breathing, like someone struggling not to cry._

_"Hello?" said Seo. She got up, crept forwards, trying to follow the noise. "Whoever you are, I'm not here to harm you. I can help."_

_No answer, but the breathing got a little heavier, more panicky._

_Seo narrowed in on it — that sound, coming from a dark corner of the room, which was covered with old furniture draped by dusty cloths. Seo removed the dust-cover, and immediately spotted the little traveler's trunk that housed the noise. Leaned down, and removed the lid…_

_A small girl was huddled inside._

_No older than three. Her blond hair braided and her eyes wet with tears. She clung to a bag, tight as she could, staring at Seo and not knowing what to do next._

_Seo felt her heart go out to the girl._

_"Hello," Seo said, with her warmest smile. "Who are you hiding from?"_

* * *

_The girl's name was Chiara._

_She was two years old._

_Daddy had told them to run, but then Daddy had gone away — except that Daddy always went away, but not like this, not where Mommy got sad and scared and made all her aunts and uncles and cousins pack up and run away. Chiara asked why they were running, and Mommy said that Daddy had told them to._

_"It's like a game, Chiara!" Mommy had said._

_But Chiara had known that Mommy was lying, because… well, because Mommy was. Chiara wasn't stupid, after all._

_And then they'd come here, and Mommy had given Chiara this bag and said to hold onto it, because it had pictures and tokens and things inside so that Chiara would remember them, and then Mommy said her head was hurting and her body was burning and that meant she was going to go away for a long time, just like everyone else here — so hide, Chiara, hide and don't let anyone find you. Don't tell anyone who you are._

_"Anyone… except me?" Seo clarified._

_At which point Chiara clapped a hand over her mouth. Realizing her mistake._

_"It's okay," Seo told her. "I'm Seo. I'm the exception to every rule."_

_Which was when the two of them heard a squad of soldiers break into the bunker, raiding the place top to bottom and occasionally firing. Picking off survivors, Seo figured._

_She took the girl's hand._

_"Think you can be brave?" Seo whispered. "Like a superhero?"_

_Chiara nodded, eyes fixed on the door._

_"Then it's time to run!" Seo said, grabbing the child into her arms and racing through the bunker. Only just glancing behind her as the door opened, and the soldiers were revealed._

_Seo recognized them._

_Perhaps a part of her had always known she would._

_"Daddy was a hero," Chiara muttered into Seo's chest, as they darted through rooms and tried to outthink the soldiers. "I miss him."_

_"Your mommy wouldn't happen to have mentioned anything about Vrangiopods, right?" Seo asked._

_Chiara recognized the word. She didn't understand what it meant. Or why it was important._

_Seo just sighed._

_Eron Halstor VII._

_Great._

_"I think I've worked out when I am," Seo muttered, "who you are, and who we're running from." Looked down at the little girl, brushing back her hair. "Chiara Sompters. The very last of the Sompters line. My cousin."_

* * *

_"You're keeping her?!" Jenny cried, when they next met up._

_Jenny stared, open-jawed, at the child sleeping peacefully in Seo's lap. As if barely able to comprehend what she was hearing._

_Seo shrugged. "There's no one else. I'm the only family she has left."_

_"I didn't think your lifestyle was exactly kid-friendly," Jenny pointed out. "I mean, how many times have you been nearly-eaten this month?"_

_"Just five."_

_Jenny shot Seo a pointed stare._

_Seo looked down at the child in her arms. Brushed the girl's blond hair behind her ears._

_"Look, I know you've got a Mom-Streak in you," Jenny said. "But you can't take a two-year-old into the universe and make her face off against Cybermen and Daleks and stuff! It's irresponsible."_

_Seo didn't answer._

_"We'll find someone else to take care of her," Jenny said. "Someone who… has a kid kind of lifestyle. Someone with a house and a white picket fence, and—"_

_"How do you get the picket fence?" Seo asked. "That's not required, is it?"_

_Jenny stopped. Blinked._

_"I mean, I have a house," said Seo. She paused. "Or… I will. When I go into the past and buy one while property values are still low. But—"_

_"You're going to settle down?" Jenny cried. "Really settle down? No adventuring, no danger, no nothing! Just settle down, raise her in Earth's past like a normal kid?!"_

_Seo looked up at Jenny. Cuddling the child in her arms. "I have to."_

_"Why?!"_

_"Because she's Aunt Dawn's descendent."_

_Jenny opened her mouth to speak._

_Didn't have the words to say._

_Seo returned her gaze to the child. Shushed her, as she turned in her sleep. Stroking her short blond hair._

_"Chiara Sompters," Seo whispered. "The last of the Sompters. The only one I could save."_

_Jenny stood, a long while, in silence._

_Then sighed._

_Sat down on the couch, beside Seo. "Yeah. I… understand. I mean, it's not sane or reasonable, and you'll get hell for it later, but… I understand." She turned to little Chiara — her face creased in the low light of the room, thumb in her mouth. "Maybe I'll see about getting you that house you were talking about. Pull a few tricks of my own."_

_"You don't have to—"_

_"I owe your aunt something, too," Jenny reminded her sister. "More than you." She gave a gentle smile. Then jumped back to her feet, heading towards her ship. "I'll see what I can do."_

* * *

_Okay._

_So maybe the whole keeping-Chiara-out-of-danger thing didn't_ exactly _go as planned._

_And maybe Chiara took advantage of the fact that Seo was very easily distracted, and would purposely try to make Seo rush off and launch the two of them into amazing space adventures, so that she wouldn't have to do her homework._

_Seo was guilty of that._

_But she did try her best._

_And as Chiara grew older, as Seo watched the little girl she'd raised and loved go off to school, learn new things, and then come back and manage to trick her into taking them off into time and space and saving another world… well, Seo couldn't help but love it. All of it._

_Especially her Chiara._

_The Last of the Sompters._

_No one, in this century, would ever know who Chiara really was. And no one in the future would ever find out what had happened to her. It was the great mystery, the one that Eron Halstor VII would pull out his hair trying to solve, the one that would inspire many historians to write long books on the subject, and many movie-makers to create elaborate fictionalized accounts._

_Chiara Sompters, the legendary girl who disappeared from history._

_And instead, appeared in Seo's life._

_Seo hadn't planned it. Hadn't expected it. Wasn't sure she was able to justify it._

_But she was damn proud of it. And always would be._


	7. Chapter 7

The Seventh Seo didn't know where she was, when she'd suddenly popped into this new reality.

So she took out her yo-yo.  As usual, in these kinds of scenarios.  Which came up, actually, pretty regularly.  Not knowing where or when she was.  She kind of liked it.

Seo began to spin the yo-yo.  Letting it fall up and down, up and down.  She grinned a little grin, as she watched it.

"Gravity's normal," Seo decided.  Then, just because she felt like it, she twisted and manipulated the string into the 'Split the Atom' trick she'd learned a while ago.

"I forgot how cheerful I was, when I was you," came a voice.

Seo looked up.

If she could have swallowed her yo-yo — which she couldn't, because she wasn't doing that kind of trick, but given the probabilities she was dealing with, she wouldn't put it past the universe to try — she would have.

"You're—!" Seo cried.

"The Eighth model, yes," said the Eighth Seo, her voice hard and stern.

"You're old!" the Seventh Seo cut in.  She jumped up and down.  "Oh, that's great!  I've never been so old-looking before!"

And just to prove it, she turned three cartwheels at once.

"Not _that_ old," Eighth Seo mumbled.

Seventh Seo paused.  "Timothy and Stacy probably won't like it, much, though."  She thought that through.  "I rather like having them both enamored of me.  And they're not bad kissers."

Eight shot her a disapproving stare.  "Just because Jack's changed doesn't mean you have to take his place as the flirtatious bisexual."

"You're just jealous," Seven said, with a wink.

The Eighth Seo didn't seem very jealous, though.  She seemed to be far more arch than her Seventh self.  She wore a button-down collared shirt and professional-looking slacks, with graying hair pulled up into a bun behind her head.

At the wink, Eight gave an almost disgusted sigh.

"Oh, don't be serious and stern!" the Seventh Seo urged.  She slapped her other-self on the back.  "I've been alive long enough to deserve a bit of a break.  And after saving at least three galaxies in as many days — why not spend that break snogging some very adorable-looking humans?"

Eight ignored her.  Instead, surveyed their surroundings.  "Shouldn't there be someone else here?"

The Seventh Seo frowned.  This seemed like one of those things older-her could just… _feel_ … but Seven couldn't really feel anything.  Just the air — which was wrong and weird, like it shouldn't exist.  At least, not according to the laws of physics she knew.  Which didn't say anything about physics here.

After all, if space ships could go up in flames even the vacuum of space…

Hang on.

"That memory isn't mine," the Seventh Seo reflected.  Then scratched her head.  "No.  Actually.  I lied.  It is mine.  I just didn't realize it was there, before."

"That's probably because we've had our past interfered with," said the Eight Seo.  "We've been pulled into this universe multiple times — and we shouldn't have.  Our memories are struggling to catch up."

"Pulled here by whom?" the Seventh Seo chirruped.

The Eighth Seo arched an eyebrow.

Seo Seven slumped.  "Her," she muttered.  Cringed.  "You know, I hope we have a really long Ninth Incarnation.  Because I'm definitely not looking forward to going mad."

Eight turned away.  A severe frown on her face.

Seven just kept thinking.  Trying to remember… and she could start to remember bits and pieces… "It's coming back to me!" Seven said.  "Everything I did, back when… when I…"  She stopped.  Realizing.  "Incarnations 1, 2, and 3.  Together.  Then incarnations 4, 5, and 6.  Also together.  But here…"

"We're missing a person, yes," Eight replied.  Rapidly losing patience.

"Incarnation 9," Seven supplied.  "The 'Calm before the Storm' Incarnation."

The Eighth Seo wasn't listening anymore, though.  She was staring off into the distance of this wide, expansive alien world.  Staring off past the gushy-feeling sand beneath their feet, that seemed to randomly spray up little spurts, before falling back down, again.  Past the oceans, beyond that, which didn't roll with waves but fluttered like a bird stirring first thing in the morning.  All the way to the horizon, large and daunting overhead.

And something… gathering on it.

"What is that?" said the Eighth Seo, pointing.

The Seventh Seo tried to remember if she'd ever seen anything like it — when she'd been an earlier self, in this universe.  But of course, time didn't work like that, and the Seventh Seo knew it.  Nope.  Time, like everything, had its own sense of humor.

Just when you had all your selves gathered together, and thought, "Wow, this is so convenient!  At least now I'll remember how this universe works!" — that's when time decided to stick up its nose and say, "Nope!  Not going to let you remember!  Not until your earlier selves have made their decisions and played through their parts."

(The Seventh Seo really needed to hunt Time down, and have a long, serious discussion about this kind of thing.)

"It looks a little like a… storm, I guess," the Seventh Seo offered.  "A storm approaching… really, rather fast."  Accelerating, even, towards them.  Then she squinted.  "That bird that was flying.  And got swallowed up by the storm."

"What about it?"

"It just stopped," said the Seventh Seo.  "Frozen in midair."

The Eighth Seo's face settled into a deep, deep frown.  "The fluttering of the ocean has stopped, too."

"Time is funny in this universe, isn't it?" said the Seventh Seo.  "I remember that.  From the first few of us.  What if… this is something to do with time?  Wherever the storm passes, time just… stops."

The Eighth Seo backed away.  Fidgeting.

"It… really is… coming at us quite fast," she pointed out.

"Accelerating," Seventh Seo agreed.  "Like a river going downhill."

The Eighth Seo turned.  "Run?"

"Run!" Seventh Seo agreed.

So they ran.

Raced fast as they could.  Trying to outrun a force of nature in a universe alien to their own.  A storm of still-time, surging towards the two of them.

"Over here!" shouted a voice.

They were both yanked off their feet, as a gigantic-looking man grabbed them up in his hands, and pulled them out of the way.  His every footstep worth twenty of theirs, as he brought them to safety.

The Seventh Seo only just had time to catch her breath, when she noticed…

"Oh, look at you!" the Seventh Seo said, craning her neck to look at her savior.  "You are just… I mean, that's amazing!  Never seen anything like it — and I've seen _everything_!"

"Ignore her," the Eighth Seo dismissed, brushing herself off.  Straightening her collar, and adjusting her glasses.  "The giddiness of being a celebrity has apparently destroyed her manners.  And common sense."  Held out a hand.  "Thank you for saving our lives.  I'm Seo, and this… is…"  Eighth Seo paused.  Grimaced.  "…another Seo."

The Seventh Seo just kept staring at the creature.

It looked like a gigantic cyclone, but solid, somehow, too.  As if, seeing through him, they could see the matter than comprised him swirling around through transparent skin.  His hands had only a thumb and a large dome of a single large finger, like he was wearing mittens!

His face was made of shadows, carefully assembled to give expression.

"Flitchor," the creature introduced himself.  He examined the two Seos.  "You're not from this world, are you?  You look like them — the gods whose war destroyed Bvotin."

"We're not gods," Seventh Seo put in.  "We're here to help!"

The Eighth Seo raised an eyebrow.

"Actually, we're here because — we're pretty sure — a future-insane-version of us brought us here," Seventh Seo amended.  She grinned.  "But while we're stuck, might as well right a few wrongs!"

Eighth Seo grinned, despite herself.

Looked like even as she got older, she never lost that righteous-crusader streak in her.

Flitchor gave a mirthless laugh, which sounded like wind rustling through leaves.  "You can't help," he said.  "It's far too late for that.  Bvotin was doomed long ago, and now… well…"  He gestured around himself.  "What you're seeing is the end.  The destruction of our world."

"Destruction?" the Eighth Seo asked.

"This is the only safe haven left," said Flitchor.  "The only place where time continues to move, on this entire world.  And even this island of moving-time grows smaller and smaller.  Eventually… the Stillness will take us.  The Stillness takes everyone."

The two Seos exchanged a look.

Realizing that Flitchor was right.  They'd come to a world on the brink of destruction.  A world about to be engulfed by a storm of non-moving time.

"You two really _aren't_ gods," Flitchor decided, analyzing the Seos.  "You look horrified.  They didn't care.  They're the reason our world is like this."

"What happened?" asked the Seventh Seo.

Flitchor shrugged.  "No one knows for sure," he admitted.  "We know how it all started, of course.  The gods came down to the mortal realms.  Commanded us to fight for them.  The fighting devastated this world.  Turned Bvotin into a world swarmed by alternating currents of time, all moving at different speeds."

"So time moved like weather across your planet," Seven provided.  "A streak of fast time would encompass one city, but then right behind it, a storm of slow-time."

Flitchor nodded.  "It was random.  Horrible.  We had no way to predict when time would accelerate, and when it wouldn't.  Mothers went to the store, and returned home to find their children had died of old age."

"It sounds like chaos," the Eighth Seo said.

"It was," said Flitchor.  "Utter chaos."

"And the Stillness was one of these currents?" Seven guessed.  "One that overpowered the others?"

Flitchor shook his head.  "My parents remembered a world without the Stillness.  Time sped up and slowed, in places, sometimes slowing almost down to nothing.  But it never stopped.  Not like this."

"So the Stillness was introduced later," said the Eighth Seo.  She frowned, thinking it all through.  "You knew Glory and the others looked humanoid.  Like the two of us.  But I remember, across our earlier incarnations, in this universe — no one else immediately recognized this form."

"The elders who fled the Stillness came here," Flitchor explained.  "To this sanctuary.  They told me and the others stories.  Of the gods.  Of meeting… Glorificus."

"They _met_ her?" said Seven.

"Either you lot are very long-lived," said Eight, "or this is the closest point in time we've gotten to the war itself."

Flitchor didn't seem to completely understand what they were talking about.

But didn't push the matter further.

"Right," said the Seventh Seo, springing forwards.  "If we're going to get rid of this Stillness, first thing to do is find out what caused.  Then…!"

"You can't," Flitchor insisted.  "All the elders have been taken by the Stillness.  All records of the past lie in areas contaminated by non-moving time.  No one knows what happened to destroy our world.  And because of that, no one can stop it."

The Eighth Seo thought this through.

Then began pacing, back and forth, thinking furiously.  "Time," Eight muttered.  "Moving like weather patterns.  Some parts faster.  Some parts slower.  Until the Stillness came and froze everyone in place."

The Eighth Seo grinned.

Then turned on Flitchor.  "Surveillance cameras!" she cried.  "Or satellites.  Or any sort of recording device, that captures an image.  Is there anything like that on this world?"

Flitchor hesitated.  "Once.  But…"

"Then that's where we'll start," the Eighth Seo decided.  "That's where we'll find our answers."

The Seventh Seo crossed her arms.  Coughed, pointedly.

Eight spun around.  Gave her younger-self a long, exasperated sigh.  "Right, I forgot just how thick I was when I was you."

"Oi!  Watch it!" Seven snapped.

Eight rushed through the explanation.  "Since Glory's war ended, this planet's been infected by time-currents of different speeds.  But the Stillness came later.  Must have worked differently.  When it caught the different pockets of time—"

"—it'd catch different snippets of history!" Seven realized.  "If the Stillness swept over a town in a pocket of slow-time, it'd only be days since the war ended and the planet went into chaos.  Whereas when it moved over a faster pocket, it'd have been years, decades — centuries, even!"

Eight nodded.  "You got there in the end."

Flitchor still seemed confused.  "You will use our surveillance systems to understand our history?"

"And decipher what got you to this point," Eight agreed.  "Yes.  Once we know how your world wound up like this, we can work out how to undo it."

"But… you don't understand," Flitchor protested.  "The electrical signals that once connected us to the rest of the world stop when they approach the pocket of still-time.  There is no way to access the equipment you need."

"Well," said the Eighth Seo, crossing her arms.  "Let's just hope there's a quantum side to your universe, then.  Because physical properties change on the nano-scale.  And it's time we investigated how that works, here."


	8. Chapter 8

Jenny held her head in her hands. "So that's incarnations one through eight," she muttered. "But nine! Where's nine?!"

"You can't get a location on her?" Boe asked.

"I couldn't even find a trace of her disappearing from time!" Jenny replied. She raced over to her ship, adjusted a number of mechanisms, popping up a display in the center of the room. Pointed to one set of complex-looking mathematics in the corner. "See? Massive temporal displacement errors for every incarnation — except the ninth!"

Boe absorbed this. Thought about it a long moment.

"Perhaps the distortion of that universe is affecting the readings," Jenny said. "Or I couldn't get to the spot where she disappeared soon enough. Or perhaps…"

"Maybe, unlike all the other incarnations," Boe cut in, "our Seo wasn't the one to bring the Ninth Seo to that universe. Maybe _that one_ was brought there by someone else. For a different purpose."

* * *

The Ninth Seo could smell the Garden before she even opened her eyes.

Then she did open her eyes.

And took it in.

It was beautiful.

Vegetation and flowers and trees all around her. Pristine and separate, and yet somehow natural — as if all of a certain type of flower had chosen to grow up all together. And something that looked not unlike a cabbage — except fuzzier — had decided to set up its own growing spot a little ways away from that. Distinctly separate, yet close enough that their leaves touched in a gust of wind.

"Another universe," Seo muttered. Hand against her head. "A trap."

Of course it was.

She checked her ring, hoping to use it to call Jenny, for help. But whatever had sent her here had scrambled the ring's inner workings. Or perhaps scrambled Seo's mind — so she wouldn't be able to use it. Either way, it'd be a while before she could get back.

Might as well explore.

The Ninth Seo spent some time just wandering through the twisting maze of the Garden. Stooping down to admire and smell and examine.

There was something… about the smell. Something that tickled at her mind.

But she brushed it off.

She'd just stopped to admire three gigantic-looking red flowers, looming tall as trees above the rest of the Garden, when Seo heard a sound.

Like someone shouting in exasperation and distress.

The Ninth Seo didn't hesitate. Didn't even have to think. Turned and zipped off towards the noise the moment she registered it. Ran, fast as she could, and only slowed when she discovered the young-looking girl, pounding against a wooden door.

The girl's face was red. And she looked like she was only just barely stopping herself from crying and going into hysterics.

"Let me in!" she was shouting. Kicked at the door. "What are you, deaf? I said let me…!"

"Are you all right?" the Ninth Seo asked.

The girl turned around — and for a second, Seo's hearts stopped dead. She… knew this person. Didn't she? No, course not. This was another universe. Couldn't be the same.

"My… my friend," said the girl. American accent — East Coast, 20th century, Seo was thinking. "He got taken in there. I knew we shouldn't have stayed — he said so. But I wanted to look at the flowers! And then they came, and took him, and I can't even get inside to rescue him."

It looked like she'd been trying for a while, too.

"Look, could you let me in?" the girl pleaded. "I just need to make sure he's okay. I really—"

The Ninth Seo gave a small laugh. "I don't know how to get in, either," she admitted. "But I'd be happy to help you find out. I always enjoy a good snoop around!" She offered a hand. "I'm Seo."

"Peri," the girl said. She gave an uneasy smile. Then hesitated. Not taking Seo's hand. "Okay… um… why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"You seem… familiar," the Ninth Seo confessed. Although who knew how far that went. Something felt wrong about this Garden, like it was niggling at something in her mind, and… well, perhaps Seo was just reacting to that. "You're not originally a warrior queen from Krontep, right?"

"A what from what?!"

That'd be a no, then.

"Never mind," said Seo, with a grin. "Long story. Friend of mine. Owe her a favor or two from a while back."

"I'm not from anywhere, in this universe," said Peri. She gave an uneasy laugh. "Just think of me as the girl who went over the rainbow, and doesn't have any ruby slippers to get back."

"Earth," said the Ninth Seo. Eyed the spandex and leg warmers, absorbed the accent. "1980's, America — Maryland, I think?"

Peri did a double-take.

"I'm not from this universe, either," the Ninth Seo assured her. Cringed, looking around herself. "Not exactly sure how I got here. Or how I'll get back, come to think of it." She planted a confident smile on her face. "But enough of that. I think I know a way into that castle."

She gestured at Peri to follow her, then raced towards the gigantic flowers that were drooping over the Garden. She surveyed the angles, doing some quick math in her head. Yes. Yes! That would work.

Then she reached up and grabbed at one of the giant leaves sprouting out of the side of the flower. Then yanked on it, trying to tear it off.

The leaf didn't budge.

Peri, at another flower, jumped up and tore off that leaf, instead. Did so easily. "What's this for?" said Peri, handing it over.

"Parachute," Seo explained. She grinned, then set it down, and raced through the Garden. "See if you can find anything we can use as rope."

Peri spun around, and raced across the Garden. "Over there!" she said. "I think I saw something like an herbaceous vine growth that was scandent."

Seo raced over and tried to rip the vine out, but couldn't. No matter how hard she tugged. Just like the leaf. It was Peri, in the end, who managed to get the vine out of the ground. And sure enough, that vine was perfect. Leafy and vine-like, but with enough strength to make sure it wouldn't break easily.

"Pretty ugly-looking, though," Peri admitted. She scrunched up her nose. "And when I touch it, I feel… kind of… yucky inside."

"Just hold the bottom down here," Seo instructed. She shoved the end of the vine between her teeth, tucked the parachute leaf beneath her elbow, and began to scale one of the gigantic flowers.

Peri, at the bottom, shuffled nervously. "What are you doing?" she called.

"Mmhmmgm mu mgmuhuh," Seo replied, through the vine, and she climbed steadily up the stem. Not as hard as it'd seem, considering. The stem was a bit sticky, making it easier to climb.

"What?"

Seo sighed, and decided to wait until she got to the top and had climbed into the cuplike flower before she answered. "Getting into the castle," she said, as she tied the vine around the uppermost part of the stem. Tested it, to make sure the knot wouldn't give. "Perfect catapult."

Peri, from the ground, gave a violent start. "Catapult?!"

"Step back until you get to that… striped-flower-with-teeth," Seo said. "No further. That'll make the angle just right." She waved the giant leaf. "And I'll use this parachute, here, to make sure I don't plummet to my death."

Peri stared at her for a second.

"I won't go squish," Seo assured her. Frowned. "Least, I think I won't."

Peri considered. Then shrugged. And began to step back. "You're not the Doctor from another dimension or something, right?" she said, as she got to the right spot.

"Been said before!" Seo replied.

As Peri released the vine, and she felt herself flying… flying…

Garden zooming beneath her. And the castle coming into view, from overhead, as she sped through the air. Couldn't help the laugh that escaped from her lips, as she soared through the air.

Oh, this was brilliant!

Who could ever get tired of this?

She took out the leaf to slow her momentum, ballooning out her limbs to catch the air resistance. Slow her descent. She'd done this almost exactly right, perfect angle and descent, just… a little too fast…

Seo barely suppressed the yelp as she hit the ground beyond the wall of the castle.

Then held up her hands, her thousand excuses to those who'd no-doubt witnessed the catapulting about to fall from her lips…

Except she stopped.

Stared.

They were… minions. Those minions, like Glory had had, once upon a time. Sack-cloth covered, spotty skinned minion things, shuffling around.

And none of them seem to have noticed Seo at all.

Right.

Course. This was what she'd been designed for, after all. To make sure Glory's minions couldn't see her. Made sense this lot wouldn't be able to see her, either.

And so she made her way, silently as she could, inside the castle. And from there… well, it wasn't exactly difficult to work out where they were keeping their latest prisoner, and how to get to the correct spot. Seo had done this a lot — generally in situations where she could actually be seen. She had experience on her side.

It wasn't until she was just about to turn the final corridor to reach the cell she wanted… that she realized… she could recognize the voice.

"…would like to point out that I am a guest, here," said the bossy male voice. "Doing you two a favor. Not willingly, albeit, but I am still doing something that benefits you. I think the _least_ you can do is give me a cup of tea." In an angrier voice, slower and more emphatic. "I. Demand. Libation. Do you understand?"

A pause.

Then a yelp.

"Excuse me!" shouted the same voice. "Do you mind? If that had hit me, it might have been quite painful!"

Yes.

Oh, Seo should have known! That's why Peri's name had seemed so familiar! That's why there was someone from 20th century Earth wandering around Glory's universe! It's why…

"Well, if you're not even deigning to speak to me," said the Doctor's voice, "I certainly hope that you'll consider activating the control panel on the right of the corridor, down from here. If you did that, perhaps I'd have a chance of getting free. And neither of you wants that."

He'd heard her.

Knew she was there. Probably thought she was Peri.

And he was doing that thing he always did, where he tried to explain how to rescue him, and doing it using just that same voice he always used when he was trying to tell…

Trying to…

To…

Seo couldn't do this.

Just couldn't do this, anymore.

It was like losing him all over again. And she couldn't… couldn't deal with…!

Seo turned.

And ran.


	9. Chapter 9

"I told you I didn't think it would work," Boe said, as Jenny tinkered with the Vortex Manipulator. "I once used that to hop from 200,000 years in the future back to the 20th century — and it burned the thing out completely."

"Yes, but I'm brilliant," Jenny countered. She closed the casing, then tried again.

With no success.

"For some reason, the failsafe keeps locking in," said Jenny, staring down at the display. "It says there's no planet there. As if Earth, in the time when the Ninth Seo came from, is just… gone."

"Check the Medusa Cascade," said Boe. "Could be the Daleks again."

Jenny raced over to the flashing panels. Tried a few things. Then shook her head. "Definitely not Daleks."

"I don't get it," said Dawn. "Why are you two so obsessed over the Ninth Seo? I mean, she's the only one who's supposed to be there!"

"Several reasons," said Jenny, spinning on her heel. "First, she's the eldest Seo we know who's sane in that universe. She was forced there — by someone else. So her ring should still be working. And she should be willing to talk to me. Which means, if we make contact with her, she'll be happy to connect her incarnations together, psychically, so I can pull them all back here at once."

Okay. Dawn could understand that.

"Second," said Jenny. "We're getting a familiar TARDIS signal in the spot we've tracked her to, in the other universe. Someone didn't just want her there. They sent her to overlap with Dad's past."

"The… monster in the wi-fi?" Dawn guessed.

"Could be," Boe admitted. "Can't rule it out."

"And then there's the third reason," said Jenny. She looked Dawn right in the eye. "Whatever the Ninth Seo does in that universe, it's going to kill her."

Dawn blinked.

Then blinked again.

"What?" Dawn cried.

"Seo doesn't remember regenerating into her tenth body," said Boe. "Doesn't remember what caused it. Doesn't remember doing it. Doesn't remember anything at all. Just one moment, she was the Ninth Seo, and next thing she knew, she'd regenerated."

Dawn's eyes went wide.

"Last we saw of the Ninth Seo," said Boe, "she was tracking down fragments of the Gallifreyan Matrix that had spread across time and space, following its destruction. Making sure they didn't wind up in the wrong hands."

"And that's exactly what we think this Seo was doing," said Jenny, "when she got snatched."

Dawn nodded, slowly.

"Seems a bit fishy, her Ninth self overlapping with Dad," Jenny said to Boe, "just before she regenerates? Could cause a kind of trauma that might make her obsessed with getting him back."

"You think whoever sent her there wanted her to go insane?" Boe asked.

"Or to try to bring him back from the dead," Jenny replied.

Dawn was struggling, a little, to follow this. "So… maybe these are the good guys!" she proposed. "I mean, if they want the Doctor back, they can't be all bad. Bad guys usually are more along the lines of trying to kill him."

"Dawn," Jenny said, quietly, "whoever this is, they're willing to sacrifice Seo to bring Dad back. They might not be Dalek-level bad, but they're not good guys."

"They could have driven her insane for another reason," Boe proposed. "We won't know until we figure out what happened when the Ninth Seo was on Earth. Who sent the Ninth Seo into the other universe. And why they wanted her there in the first place."

"There's another trail," Jenny said, squinting at a readout on a panel secured to the side of her ship. "Buried under the chaos of the moving planet. Hard to find."

"So whoever moved the planet did so to cover Seo's tracks," Boe proposed.

"Could be," said Jenny. Pointed. "Looks like Seo left Earth before she got sent into the other universe. Landed on some other planet."

"Can you get a lock on its coordinates?" Boe asked.

Jenny began racing around, doing all kinds of crazy complicated-looking things. Then re-opened the Vortex Manipulator, adjusted some wiring, and closed it.

"Coordinates set," said Jenny. Turned to Boe. "Wish me luck."

And disappeared.

* * *

The Tenth Seo was alone, again.

And only mildly tortured.

She hadn't quite understood, before, why the two hell gods hadn't killed her yet. They wanted to. She could see that easily enough. But they restricted themselves to pain, and only at certain intervals.

Did they suspect that maybe she was right? That she wasn't really Glory?

(Would they care, if they did?)

No. She'd seen their reaction to what she'd done. The utter horror and fear on their faces, gripping them like a vice.

"They're afraid of me," the Tenth Seo muttered. She took a long, deep breath, to stave off pain. "They're _terrified_ of…"

No.

Wrong.

"Terrified of _Glory_ ," the Tenth Seo corrected. She prodded at a bruise on her elbow, winced. "They think I'm her _._ "

She went through her whole body, bit by bit, making sure nothing was permanently damaged. Nothing was. Lucky for her. Funny, that.

Perhaps those two hell gods were severely weakened, themselves. Enough so that they could only keep up the torture for a short time, while still maintaining everything keeping her trapped.

If Seo could only manipulate this universe, just a little bit, then she could easily…!

She looked up, as she heard a sound from just in front of her. Found something appearing from nowhere inside her cell, shaking and trembling.

A little sack-cloth covered minion.

Seo sighed. "More torture, huh?" Gritted her teeth, eyes narrowed. "How many times do I have to tell you I'm not Glory before you believe it?"

"I… I'm not…!" the minion said.

Then fell to his knees, prostrated before her.

"Please, have mercy," he begged, "oh divine and ethereal, oh glorious and wonderful and splendid…"

Yeah, like this was gonna help her convince people she wasn't Glory!

The Tenth Seo interrupted the minion with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hey," she said. "It's okay. You don't have to be scared of me — I'm not that kind of god."

It just kept shaking. "W…w…whatever you wish," it squeaked, "oh radiant, amazing, holy—"

"What's your name?" Seo cut in.

The minion blinked at her.

"Mine's Seo," said Seo. "Short for Seosyrae. It's the name my father gave me." She gave him a friendly smile. "What's yours?"

The minion said nothing for a long time.

"Warko," he offered, at last.

Then threw himself forwards.

"But my name is unimportant next to yours," he insisted. "We are sinners before you, me and my kind! We turned away from the light of your splendiferousness , served false gods. But if you prove to us your strength, we will free you and rise to fight on your side—"

The Tenth Seo burst out laughing.

Warko clearly hadn't counted on this. Looked up, alarmed and startled.

"Oh, come on, Warko!" the Tenth Seo said. "Who do those two think they're fooling? You're not in here to break me out of jail." She leaned in. "You're here for information."

Warko didn't answer.

"What? Are Banana Tree and Kermit too scared to ask me themselves?" the Tenth Seo continued. She looked up. Addressing what she hoped was some kind of… hidden camera… or something. Allowing them to follow her motions. "My actions aren't a secret. I can manipulate myself, so I brought eight of my other-selves here. And why? Because they're my past. Anything they find out about this universe, I'll remember, once time catches up. And I'll be able to use that to escape."

Then she frowned.

As she thought of something else she'd overlooked.

Cameras…

"You two can see me perfectly," she realized. "That shouldn't happen. Even after that… dimensional twisting nonsense that happened to me way back when… still." She tilted her head to the side. "I was designed so that Glory wouldn't see me. Her minions wouldn't see me. I was designed specifically to avoid this sort of thing. But you can see me perfectly. It's impossible."

No answer.

Seo hadn't really expected any.

She turned back to the minion, still kneeling on the floor.

"What about you?" she asked. "Do you know anything about this?"

Warko went completely stiff, his eyes glassy, his mouth opening almost unwillingly. The voice that issued forth from his mouth, when he spoke, wasn't his own. "Why?"

The Tenth Seo blinked. Then felt her anger rising up. "Which is this? Destruction or Chaos?" She bunched her hands into fists. "And what did you do to Warko?"

"Why?" came the voice, again.

"Because if you've hurt him," the Tenth Seo warned, "I swear, I'll—"

"Why _those_ places?" the voice issuing from Warko asked.

The Tenth Seo froze. Not expecting this question. "What do you mean? What places?"

"We've found your other-selves," said the voice coming from Warko. "Nine other versions of you."

Seo crossed her fingers, hoping this meant they didn't have enough energy to come after her younger selves. (Probably saving it up for the next round of torture, Seo expected.)

"Your other selves litter the landscape of our universe," said the voice from Warko. "Across time. Across space. But in specific spots. Why send them _there_? Why send them to _those places_ , of all in this universe?"

"I… I…" Seo hesitated. Then spat out, "I'm not telling you anything!"

Because she didn't want to admit… that she didn't know.

She'd thought she was sending them to random spots. She hadn't known there was any significance to the areas she'd chosen.

What were the odds… that she'd choose…?

"We remember you," said the voice from Warko. "You play the innocent. The hapless, the unaware, the spoiled child who spouts idiocy and can't see what's right in front of her. But it's all a front — for when you strike. Perfectly timed, perfectly precise, a strike that shows your ingenuity and cunning. You take down your enemies with no more than a simple trick."

The Tenth Seo frowned. "Wait, are you still talking about Glorificus?" she asked. "Or _me_?"

But the voice had left Warko. He was now back to his normal self, shaking and trembling and not sure what to do.

"They… speak through me," Warko admitted. "But I will be loyal to you! If you tell me all your plans, confess what you're about to do and the source of your power, I promise…!"

Obvious trap.

Tenth Seo knew better than that.

"How do those two know me?" Seo asked him, instead. "Because I've met Glory, and she wasn't cunning or tricky like that." Seo put a hand against her chest. "That was _me_. They were describing _me_!"

Warko huddled back a little.

"But how did they know?" Seo asked. "Is it because of my other selves? But… no!" Seo gritted her teeth. "If that was why, then those two would _know_ I'm not Glorificus. That'd prove it!"

"It's said… Glorificus… was the most powerful," Warko breathed, "most glorious, most exultant and undefeatable god to ever exist in this reality. Her power was legendary. Her abilities feared across every dimension."

The Tenth Seo slumped against the far wall.

Back to this again. The fawning and the insistence that she was Glory. Despite all evidence to the contrary!

"And it's said… that her power didn't come from the deaths or the distortions or the manipulations of war," Warko continued. "Her strength didn't come from the Thousand. From the Glorious Sacrifice. From the Eternal Army or the Stillness. They say… the true source of her power… was that _she was smart_."

The Tenth Seo glanced over at him. "Smart?"

"Even the other two, who could strike at her — at your — godly essence," Warko said, "could never hope to touch the power of her mind."


	10. Chapter 10

The Second Seo was the first to regain consciousness, after the energy wave had hit them. She sat up, her head aching, her eyes feeling as if someone had chiseled at them mercilessly, before realizing they wouldn't yield, and giving up.

She looked down.

Everything seemed in order. Her clothes hadn't been damaged — which was nice, because she quite liked her clothes. Earth tones. She liked those, this time around. She wondered if it was some sign of home-sickness, her feeling the need to be connected to the Earth even through her clothes. Perhaps this was her subconscious' way of proving to her that she needed a holiday back on Earth, and should take a bit of time to—

"What the hell was that?!"

The Second Seo glanced over at her meaner, more Gothy-looking counterpart. She couldn't quite figure the Third Seo. Her hair was forcibly flattened, lying almost lifeless by her ears. Dyed dark black — no shades, no tones, just black. And then there was the clothing — all dark and depressing and… well, really rather horrid.

At least, the Second Seo thought so.

And how had she wound up being quite so mean and grumpy?

Third Seo rubbed her head, irritated. Muttering profanities beneath her breath, as she tried to regain her wits. Then she noticed the blond version, still completely out of it.

"Oh, God! Baby hasn't woken up, yet!" She crawled over, trying to shake the blond version awake. "Hey. Baby-me. Come on, you can do this. Don't give out on me. Get some life back into you."

The Second Seo crossed her arms. "Good to see that you're nice to at least one of your other selves."

"Shut it, Plato," snapped Goth-Seo. The blond version in her arms was finally starting to wake up, groaning and reaching out as if to clutch at something. "It's okay, Baby-Me. You're good, now. Time to wake up."

"I'm…" The First Seo opened her eyes. Stared at the Third Seo, then shifted her gaze to the Second.

Confused.

Both could see the moment the First Seo seemed to recall what had happened. Where she was. And how she'd gotten there.

"You!" the First Seo said, sitting up and scooting away from them. "You're both… you're both me!"

"I think this is the first time she's done something like this," the Second Seo realized. She knelt down. "Don't worry. It doesn't happen often."

"It shouldn't have happened at all," said the Third Seo. She climbed to her feet. "You remember when you regenerated. You didn't know what you looked like. Which can't happen if you'd seen your next incarnation," pointing at the First Seo, "when you were her."

The Second Seo thought this over. "It's a conundrum, isn't it?" Shrugged. "I suppose time works differently in this universe, though. Perhaps our memory of it will work equally mysteriously."

"Think it's that simple?" said the Third Seo. "Get this. _I_ can't remember being you and doing what you're doing right now."

The Second Seo frowned. "What happens in cauterized time stays in cauterized time," she proposed. "Could be something like that." She glanced down at her ring. "Might explain why the ring isn't functioning."

"Actually, I'm betting it's more along the lines of — none of this was actually supposed to happen, and the crazy incarnation of us is changing around her own past." Three gave an irritated sigh, then turned to head off around the side of the 'hill'. "Idiot. I mean, she couldn't even make sure Baby arrived here with the rest of…"

The Third Seo trailed off. Froze.

"I told you, Baby-Us must have been with Aunt Dawn," the Second Seo replied, coming over. "That sort of dimensional energy, together — threw off the coordinates. She…" That was when the Second Seo saw it. What had happened while they were knocked out.

The entire landscape had crumbled away. Decayed, as if caught in a sudden rush of rapidly accelerating time. The arena — once gleaming and newly constructed — now looked like an ancient ruin. And there was no sign of any life.

"What…?" said the Baby Seo, creeping up beside them. "But… but how?"

"Thousand," the Second Seo recalled. "They seemed so adamant about that. They had to reach a thousand. It was… a sacrifice of a thousand."

"More like a sacrifice of 1,500," growled the Third Seo. "Sacrificees and spectators, both." She climbed out from the hollow crevice of the hill. "God. Seeing something like that — just makes you wanna find the scumbag who's responsible and beat his lights out."

The First Seo's eyes went wide.

"Take it easy!" Third Seo said, with a laugh, helping her out. "Just because I _want_ to doesn't mean I _will_. Don't you know yourself at all?"

"I… thought I did," the First Seo replied. Looked around herself, and swallowed, hard. "But I thought I knew what was possible and impossible in the universe, too. And this shouldn't be possible. None of it."

"We're not in our universe, anymore," the Second Seo confessed, following after them. She spotted a few buildings that still looked intact, towards their right. Pointed. "Perhaps we could find some answers there."

The First Seo squinted. "It looks kind of… towny." Her freckled face broke into a smile. "What do you think it'll be like? An alien town, on an alien world, in the middle of an alien universe?" She bounced on her toes, eyes glowing. "I can't wait!"

"Works for me," Third Seo said, with a shrug. But seemed to be eyeing a statue at its center, warily. "Don't like _that,_ though. Got a distinct evil-dictator look to it."

"Well, I suppose we technically shouldn't get involved in the affairs of other universes," the Second Seo mused. "However, if there _is_ some sort of autocratic regime…" She shrugged. Looking a bit excited.

"You said it," Third Seo replied. Gave her second self a grin, then took First Seo's hand in her own. And set off. "Keep up, Socrates. We got injustice to fight, here. That doesn't stop just because you're having a philosophical moment."

The Second Seo began to set off.

When she heard the sound of a gun charging, just behind her. Distinctive on any world. And in universe, it seemed.

"Don't move," came the command.

The Second Seo stayed still. But couldn't help but reflect — "Guns. Rather an odd thing to transcend universes. I'd have thought different realities would have different sorts of weapons."

"I said don't move," said the voice, again. He stepped out, and it was another of the one-handed, three-legged natives from this world. This guy with longer hair, and the beginnings of a beard. He used a hand and one of his legs to hold up the gun and aim it. "You. You are alive. Explain."

The Second Seo reflected. "It's a good question," she agreed. "From an existential standpoint, particularly. Why am I alive? How do I know I exist? What if I can't see myself in the mirror because my existence is just some sort of shared delusion the universe experiences when…"

"Hey, Aristotle! Stop…!" came the Third Seo's voice.

But it was cut off, abruptly. And the Second Seo could see that her other two selves had been caught and apprehended by another group of natives. Also pointing guns.

"You," said the bearded man. "You three. You have profaned the sacrifice. A thousand curses be upon you."

"A thousand again," the Second Seo noted. "That number is important, isn't it? And I don't think it means what we all believe it means."

"We fought for her, for a thousand years," said the man. "Her loyal subjects. Her most devout of worshippers. We've loved her for a thousand years. And now you three blasphemers appear. Defiling her honor by surviving!"

"Her?" said the First Seo, as she and Three were led over. "You have a queen? Oh, I love queens! I always thought I should meet Queen Elizabeth. Aunt Dawn told me all about her, and I thought it sounded brilliant! But I can't ever figure out how to land in the right spot."

"Silence!" shouted the others, around them.

The Third Seo looked around. Swallowing, hard. "That statue," she said, shuddering. "I knew it looked familiar. Just knew it."

The Second Seo squinted into the distance. Able to make out, on the statue, curly hair, a manic-looking face, and… and…

Oh.

She hadn't even thought of that.

"We will take them to the Temple of Glorificus," the man with the beard declared. "There, they shall stand trial before her splendiferousness. And they shall be judged, accordingly."

The Third Seo nearly jumped out of her skin.

It was all the First and Second incarnations could do to stop her from racing off the first chance she got, and giving their captors a reason to shoot her down. The Second Seo just sighed, as she struggled to suppress her next-self.

Yes.

Very odd, how incarnations turned out, sometimes.


	11. The Story of the Second Seo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dividing the Story of the Second Seo into multiple chapters, due to length. Enjoy!

_David Walter Korjensky III raced back, fast as he could, desperate to find her and pull her out before it was too late. The sirens and warning alarms blared in his ears, but he didn't care. He had to find her. Why had those idiots left her behind? How could they…?_

_He could hear the bulkhead doors sealing, in front of him. Clanging shut._

_And there she was._

_Desperately trying to outrun them._

_"Seo!" Dave called, sprinting as hard as he could. Desperate._

_But the last door slammed shut, between them, before he'd gone even half the distance he needed._

_Dave froze, outside the door. His hand against it. Looking in through the bulkhead window, staring at her. This beautiful blond woman who'd come to mean so much to him. Whom he'd do anything for. Anything at all._

_She slowed. Then stopped, a horrible look of resignation on her face. As she realized… there was nothing she could do._

_"I'm sorry," Seo mouthed at him, through the sound-proof doors._

_And then the area behind the bulkhead erupted as it was thrown from the space ship, Seo's body hurtled out into the middle of deep space._

_"No!" Dave shouted._

_Scrambling as fast as he could to do something. Bring her in! Yes, he could do that, now that she was in space. He frantically raced back around the space ship to the manipulator arm, cranked it into manual override. She said she could hold her breath longer than he could! Maybe she was still alive out there! She had to still be alive out there!_

_But when he brought her in…_

_She wasn't breathing. Her hearts weren't beating._

_"The debris must have hit her the moment the ship separated," said the onboard medic. He shook his head. "I'm sorry. She's dead."_

_Which was right around the time Jack Harkness rushed into the room. And tugged them all away._

_"Get back," Jack said. "Seriously. Way back."_

_Dave fought to get over to her. To hold her hand one last time, and say goodbye. "She's dead," he said. "She's really—"_

_"She's not dead, she's dying," Jack corrected. "And you both need to get back!"_

_"How do you know…?" the medic began._

_Which was when Seo's body exploded._

* * *

_Seo sat up. Gasping for breath. She looked around herself, the whole world swimming and yet so solid. It was like… it was in her grasp, and out of it, all at the same time. She reached out a hand to catch hold of reality…_

_Except it wasn't her hand._

_"I died," Seo realized. But her mouth was different. Her whole head was different! She felt… she felt… not herself. Like someone else. But also not._

_"What…?" Dave breathed. Then he pulled out a gun, aiming it at her. "Who are you? And what have you done to Seo?"_

_Who was she?_

_Good question._

_"I think… I'm Seo." Seo paused. "At least, I remember being Seo. Am I still her? How do I know?"_

_She tried to get up, off the medical exam table, and wobbled. Everything seemed so much shorter than before! Dave… and Jack… and the whole ship… it had shrunk!_

_Or had she grown?_

_How could she tell the difference?_

_"Maybe I stayed the same, and the whole universe changed," Seo proposed. "Or maybe… maybe I'm actually dead. And this is what it feels like." A shudder of fear ran through her, and she clutched at the medical exam table. "Am I dead? I thought I was supposed to come back. Regenerate."_

_"Whoa, steady there, kid!" Jack said, racing forwards to help her. He caught her in his arms, so she didn't pass out completely. "You're okay. Trust me. As someone who knows from experience — death is not waking up on a spaceship, surrounded by a med lab and the gorgeous guy you're in love with. You're fine."_

_But Seo couldn't believe that._

_She was already starting to notice that her hair was bouncy. And red. She was a redhead. She'd never been a redhead before._

_"I don't understand," said Dave. "That's… that's not… that can't be…"_

_"I'm supposed to come back," Seo explained. "When I die. I'm supposed to come back thirteen times. Looking different. But being the same, inside." She grabbed onto Jack, a little tighter. "But it doesn't feel the same! It feels like… I died. Seo died. Who am I, now?"_

_And there was just so much extra energy swirling through her. Energy that glowed and shone, and made her feel ill. She didn't even sound like herself. She had an English accent, now. She'd never sounded English before._

_She felt faint. Gasped for air, as the world spun around her. And then her knees gave out…_

_Everyone raced forwards to catch her._

_As she fought to control the sickness._

_"That's impossible," the medic was saying. "Complete cellular regeneration? It's not—"_

_"Dave," Seo said. Looking up at him as he caught her, and she felt better just knowing he was there. "I remember you. I have to be me, if I can remember everything Seo remembered, right? All those moments. Those memories." She shook her head. "The grasses of Ochito. Remember that? I remember how it smelled. How it felt. How the food tasted, and… and…" She gave a small laugh. "That bumblebee! Oh, you made me swear never to say a word about that!"_

_"She can't be the same person," the medic insisted. "It's a parasite. Or some sort of…"_

_"She's the same," Dave decided. Taking her into his arms and holding her. "She has to be. I know."_

_It felt good to be held like that. Just as good as it had before._

_Until that burning golden energy flooded through her, again. Made her shudder back, convulsing violently, and she found herself on the floor, trying to stop herself from shaking and coughing and gasping._

_"Her ship," Jack decided. "It should help. Or… can't hurt, anyways." He turned to the others. "We gotta get her back."_

* * *

_It did help._

_It was as new an experience for Oliver as it was for Seo, but he helped soothe her nausea. Helped soothe her mind._

_For a while._

_Until she tried some chocolate._

_And realized… it wasn't all that yummy, anymore. It was just… a thing. A sweet thing, but just something to eat. It wasn't… chocolate._

_"I don't love chocolate," Seo realized. She threw down the chocolate bar. "How can I be Seo if I don't love chocolate?!"_

_And she didn't fit her old clothes. Or even like them._

_Couldn't stand the décor in her room, or her ship! Once, she'd loved it. She remembered loving it!_

_Why didn't she love it, anymore?_

_"How can I be me?" Seo whispered. Held her head in her hands. "How can I be Seo?"_

_Then she screamed._

_And ran._

* * *

_Seo spent a long time standing in front of the mirror. Staring at the empty glass, trying to squint and hoping that she'd see something._

_"I'm not there," Seo told Jack, when he approached. She reached out, and touched the mirror. "Maybe… I don't exist."_

_"You regenerated," said Jack. "You're fine. This is shock. It's normal when you first come back to life." He knew that one all too well. "Take it from me. Soon, you'll be a pro at this."_

_Seo spun around. "But I didn't come back!" she insisted. Her hands bunching into fists. "I died! I feel like I died! And now I'm just some… imposter, running around with Seo's memories and Seo's thoughts and Seo's feelings, and… and… it's not me, Jack. Seo isn't me!"_

_Jack hesitated. He had to admit, he'd come back to life a lot. And he'd never had this kind of reaction before._

_"I don't like the things Seo liked," Seo said. "I don't think the way she thought. I don't speak like her. I don't see the world like her. I probably don't even look like her!" She stared into the mirror. "Although… I suppose I can't really tell that for sure."_

_"Seo," said Jack, in his best soothing voice. "Trust me. You're still you."_

_"You would say that," Seo replied. "Jack Harkness. Even your name is a lie." She touched the surface of the mirror. "Am I a lie, too? Do I even exist, still?"_

_Wow._

_Talk about existential crises._

_A flash from Seo's ring, which spread through Oliver. Seo spun on her heels. Zipped off, and twirled her way down the fireman's pole into the console room, where she flipped at a number of switches._

_"It's Jenny!" Seo cried, as Jack followed her. A smile lit up Seo's face. "I can find her!"_

_Jack nodded, slowly._

_Guessed Jenny was having trouble using that ring-thing to communicate, with Seo newly regenerated. Oliver must have picked up the slack, helped get the message through._

_Seo spun the ship into a juddery, haphazard kind of flight, the ship bouncing off the sides of the vortex and showering her and Jack in sparks. "Jenny won't lie to me!" Seo decided. "She'll know if I'm Seo, and if I'm not, she'll know what to do to get the real Seo back."_

_"Seo, you are yourself," Jack insisted, struggling to stay upright. "You've got to trust—"_

_Which was right around when Oliver crashed._

* * *

_Jack struggled to get Seo out of the ship, before the smoke suffocated them both. She was bigger than she'd been before. It wasn't easy to lift her, anymore. She wasn't overweight, just… taller. Curvier. Less petite and a little more awkward to hoist._

_Jack led Seo, who was stumbling and staggering, out of the ship, and into the middle of a sunlit city with a pink sky, blue trees, and human-looking people all around them._

_And there, right in front…_

_"Jenny!" Seo cried. Tearing herself from Jack and racing forwards. "Jenny — who am I? Do you… can you…?"_

_Then she collapsed._

_Jenny barely caught her. Looked over at Jack, horrified. "Don't tell me this is…!"_

_"Yep, Seo regenerated," Jack said, helping Jenny. "And I guess it's not quite the same as gasping back to life all the time."_

_"When?" Jenny demanded._

_"Just now!"_

_"And with a day or so of regeneration sickness…" Jenny shook her head. "Oh, this isn't good. Not good at all."_

_Jack's confidence melted a hair._

_As he got the feeling… there was something he was missing, here._

_"That leaves just you and I to save the day!" Jenny said. She gestured around herself. "They're already half-way through, Jack — and this time, for some reason,_ they know you _!"_

_"Who…?" Jack began._

_Which was the exact moment that every single child on the street stopped. At the same time._

_That same glossy look in all their eyes. That same hypnotic stare._

_Oh no._

_"It's not the 222, again, is it?" Jack said. "Or the 374? I've so had it with the 374!"_

_"No. This gang's operating on a radio frequency I've never seen before."_

_Now Jack began to feel even more uneasy. "What… frequency…?"_

_"456." Jenny examined his reaction to those words, carefully. "That mean something special to you?"_


	12. Chapter 12

_"Have they heard of STP?" Jack demanded, once they'd gotten Seo settled down in an abandoned home on the outskirts of the city. "Or just me?"_

_Jenny sat down on the edge of a chair. "Both," she admitted. "The planet knew about us, before the aliens arrived. Don't ask me how. But they've been trying to contact us since the beginning."_

_"And you only just picked up their distress call?" said Jack._

_Jenny nodded. "I arrived here, and followed our usual procedure," she said. "Hacked into the 456 signal, found their receiver spot for rival gang territorial claims, transmitted our own 3-symbol signature signal to the aliens—"_

_"'STP'," said Jack._

_"'STP'," Jenny agreed. "So our stake's been made. This planet's our territory — keep off."_

_"They ignored it, of course."_

_"They always do," Jenny agreed. "At which point I sent out an alert to you two, to make sure we'd meet up. Then went over to help out the indigenous population." She paused. Grimaced. "Except… the 456 thug had stopped the negotiations the moment he got our STP signal. Said he'd destroy the planet unless he met with me, personally."_

_Jack felt his breath catch in his throat. "You didn't…"_

_"I was armed," Jenny assured him. "And you don't have to worry. He didn't know my name." She stared into Jack's eyes. "He knew yours, though."_

_Figured._

_"They're gonna be ready," Jack decided. Turning away, pacing the area frantically. "They're gonna remember. Everything we've been doing to scare these guys off — none of it will work this time! We can't—"_

_"Have you been facing down these child-snatching frequency-transmitting gangs on your own?" Jenny asked. "Without us?" She crossed her arms, looking very stern. "I thought we were a team."_

_"This… I met the 456 before," Jack said. "On Earth. STP hadn't started, yet."_

_Jenny seemed to accept this. "So what happened last time you met them?"_

_Jack wasn't gonna answer that._

_Couldn't._

_"You said the planet asked for our help," said Jack, turning back to her. "Now we're on the run. How did that happen?"_

_"How do you think?" Jenny shrugged. "People make stupid decisions when they're scared. The 456 wanted us gone, so they made it clear to the governments that if they destroy STP, the 456 will give back two thousand kids."_

_"Two thousand kids," Jack muttered._

_That horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach kept getting worse._

_"I know!" Jenny cried. "I mean, that's just insulting. 2,000 kids? With all the trouble STP's caused, we should be worth at least a hundred thousand."_

_Jack didn't answer. His mind was spinning._

_Jenny looked on at him, curiously. "We're still going to stop them," she insisted. "I just need to get my transmitter back." She glanced back at Seo. Sighed. "I was hoping Seo could help with that. But I guess… it's up to us, now."_

_"And if that doesn't work," said Jack, "if they remember… then we've got nothing."_

_Jenny jumped to her feet. "I'm sorry?" She advanced on him. "We've got two of the greatest geniuses in the universe, and the one person the 456 are terrified of. How's that 'nothing'?"_

_Jack didn't answer._

_His face was almost as dark and bleak as his soul._

_Jenny sighed, then whipped out a bundle of schematics and floor plans for some military bases, which she'd clearly only just managed to smuggle out of some top secret bunker somewhere. "So," she said. "Let's start planning how to get that transmitter back."_

* * *

_When Jenny got her transmitter… it didn't work._

_"That's not possible," Jenny said. Shook it, reprogrammed it, began typing things into it. "It always works. Even when the gangs try to counter it." She shook it again. "That's the way I constructed it! Bigger on the inside. And foolproof!"_

_"Jenny, you've been spotted," said Jack, through the earpiece. "Get out while you can."_

_"No, you don't understand," Jenny explained, turning on her heels and starting to race off through the secret base. "I sent the STP signal using this same transmitter. It was working, Jack. It can't just—"_

_"Soldiers, five o'clock."_

_Jenny swerved out of the way, diving into a side door and sealing herself in. She began piling objects against the door, with one hand, creating a barricade._

_With the other, she was tinkering with the transmitter._

_"I don't get what's wrong," Jenny insisted. "It should be working fine."_

_"The army might have stripped it for alien tech," Jack proposed._

_Jenny paused in her barricade. Tore the back off the transmitter, poking and prodding and adjusting at the bigger-on-the-inside interface, within. Shook her head. "Nope. Just like it was before." Flipped it over. "Should be working perfectly."_

_The door heaved, and Jenny sucked in a sharp breath._

_There were no other exits to this room. And she still couldn't work out what was wrong with her transmitter!_

_They had only hours before those kids got taken!_

_"Is Seo awake?" Jenny asked._

_"You think she could tell you what went wrong?"_

_Jenny laughed. "Have you_ met _my sister?" She shook her head. "No. She won't have a clue. But she'll fix it. She always does."_

_A pause._

_Then, "I can't wake her."_

_The door juddered in, smashed from the other side._

_Jenny tucked the transmitter in her pocket. Looked around. Escape… escape…_

_Aha! There! Ventilation duct!_

_Ha! Jenny loved planets that had never heard of that cliché!_

_She only just made it up and to safety by the time the soldiers had forced their way in. No, this planet had definitely not heard of the ventilation duct cliché. Or they'd have known right away where to look for her._

_Jenny grinned, as she crawled away._

_Her grin fell, when she began to hear the chaos and pandemonium, on Jack's end of the headset. The sound of shooting. Jack shouting at someone. And then…_

_Silence._

_"Jack?" Jenny whispered._

_A long pause._

_Then a voice Jenny had never heard before cut in, saying, "Who are you communicating with? Another one of your agents?"_

_And realized…_

_Jenny pried a panel off the ventilation duct, and threw herself inside. All the soldiers looked up, then leveled weapons at her._

_"At ease!" Jenny commanded them. Her face stern. "Call yourselves a planetary defense system when you hand over children to a bunch of Radiowave Bullies?"_

_That was what Seo had called them. 'Radiowave Bullies'._

_Jenny had grown rather fond of the term. Although she'd never admit that to Seo._

_"You're under arrest as a terrorist, a traitor, and an alien," one of the soldiers said. "Put your hands up, and surrender all weapons, or—"_

_But Jenny had already surrendered all weapons. Was ready and waiting for this._

_"I'm your prisoner," Jenny agreed. "So are my associates. Which means you've got all the agents of STP under your thumb, now. We can't be a threat to you or the 456. So you don't really need to kill us, do you?"_

* * *

_One thing Jack had to say about Jenny._

_She was really good with the military._

_Had somehow managed to take a situation in which they were helpless prisoners, not trusted and about to be killed, and then twisted it around so that — not only did everyone here trust STP completely — but all of the soldiers were now taking orders from her._

_"…disfocused laser beam technology," Jenny was saying to one of the scientists. "Yes, I know all about that sort of thing." She squinted at the weapon. "It's a bit primitive. But it might do the trick."_

_"We have a satellite system in orbit," said the scientist._

_"Yes, I've seen something like that before, as well," Jenny agreed. She sketched out some mathematics for the scientist, pointing to an equation. "See? Hook the satellites together, introduce a high intensity loop into the function, and we'd be able to create a rudimentary force field."_

_The scientist blinked at her._

_"That's… that's…!" The scientist grabbed the paper. "That's ingenious."_

_"What…?" the military officer began._

_Jenny turned to face him, her face wearing just the right expression to pull rank on him, as if he were her underling._

_"Sergeant," Jenny commanded. "Get three men on to input the settings Dr. Hylor just discovered on the orbital monitors. Rest of the troops? Evacuate all government buildings. If the 456 are true to form, moment they realize we're fighting back, they'll start with tactical biological strikes against specific areas."_

_"Yes, Ma'am," said the Sergeant, saluting and then rushing off to carry out the order._

_"Jenny, Ma'am," said a corporal, stepping up to her. "If we do this, what's to stop the 456 from bombarding the whole world with a biological agent?"_

_"The force field," Jenny replied. "By the time they realize the tactical strikes don't work, we'll have the force field operational. And they won't be able to touch us."_

_The corporal seemed to accept this._

_Jenny spun on her heels. "Dr. Hylor knows what to do," she said. "I need to check on my sister."_

* * *

_If there was one way to prove, definitively, that Seo was still Seo, it was this._

_The fact that, when they'd finally managed to gain the confidence of the military, and were in the middle of succeeding in getting them to chase off the 456 for good… Seo woke up._

_And ruined everything._

_"A force-field?" Seo said, leaning down and squinting at the display. "Using satellites?" She laughed. "What's the point in that?"_

_"Securing our position," one of the soldiers said, parroting back one of Jenny's speeches. "Tactical biological strikes have failed. The force field will both keep out a wider biological attack, and keep the 456 from sending any others from their space ship down to this planet, where—"_

_"They don't travel by space ship," Seo cut in._

_The soldiers all looked up at Seo._

_"Seo!" Jenny warned._

_"What?" said Seo. "They don't. They travel through space by transmitting themselves across radio waves. Who spread this rubbish about a ship?"_

_"I did," Jenny hissed._

_Seo laughed. "Oh, you're tricking this lot into doing something else!" she realized. "That's very you. After all, that force shield wouldn't keep out a well-aimed sneeze, much less a deadly-flu bomb." She smiled, trying to work it out. "No, wait, I see. You're using the arc of the planet and the arc of the shield to focus the transmission of—"_

_Seo stopped talking, as the entire army cocked their guns, aiming straight at Jenny, Jack, and Seo._

_Jenny hit her head against the palm of her hand._

_Seo frowned. "Ah," she said. "I probably shouldn't have said that out loud. Should I? Maybe that's the kind of person I am, now."_

_Luckily for all of them… Seo was also the kind of person who could run really fast._

_As they raced out of the army base, trying to dodge bullets._


	13. Chapter 13

_"I'm bullet proof?" Seo gasped, stumbling from the impact of the shot, but staring in amazement as a gold light shimmered around the wound and completely repaired her body. She paused in her run, to watch. "Is that who I am, now? Someone who can't be killed?"_

_"Only for the first 48 hours of a new body," Jenny insisted, grabbing Seo's arm, and tugging her along behind. She ran faster. "Trust me. I got shot the day I was born, and I know — it doesn't last."_

_"Oh," said Seo. She reflected. "But for the first 48 hours, I'm indestructible. Right?"_

_"Do you really want to test it?" Jenny snapped, dodging out of the way of another round of shots. She swore beneath her breath, as they dodged into a back alley. They'd lost Jack, a while ago, but Jenny was sure Jack would catch up with them eventually._

_They waited, as the soldiers ran past._

_A minute of silence crawled by, before Jenny dared to break it._

_"Well, at least now you've got proof that you're really Seo," Jenny told her. "Only Seo could manage to completely muck things up this badly in under a minute."_

_Seo seemed thoughtful. "Is that really me?" she said. Musing it over. "Am I the hapless idiot who unwittingly destroys everyone's plans? Is that—"_

_Jenny didn't have time to deal with this._

_She'd been that close to reconfiguring the satellite system to act as a gigantic transmitter, but even when they'd been close… for some reason, it hadn't been working._

_No better than her little one._

_It didn't make sense. What was wrong? Why wasn't this working?!_

_"Just be quiet until we manage to reconnect with Jack," said Jenny. "Then we'll brainstorm another way to beat these guys—"_

_"The Radiowave Bullies," Seo put in, grinning._

_Seo never gave up an opportunity to use the phrase she'd coined._

_"The Radiowave Bullies, whatever you want to call them," Jenny agreed. She managed to yank Seo down, and then crawled for cover behind a cluster of blue trees. She yanked out her small transmitter, and handed it to Seo. "In the meantime, if you can fix this, I'd greatly appreciate it."_

_Seo turned it over in her hands. Analyzed its insides. "It doesn't seem broken," Seo decided, after testing a few things. She rewired a section, then handed it back. "Although if you switch the wiring around like this, it'll work twice as fast."_

_It would have._

_Except for the fact that it still didn't work at all._

_Jenny cursed beneath her breath, wracking her brain for something. Some way to save the kids!_

_"You know, you seem in a very bad mood, today," Seo observed. "Is something wrong?"_

_Jenny decided that was not even worth dignifying with an answer._

* * *

_STP tried. Tried everything._

_But nothing worked._

_And it was time, now. The end. They could already see the final phase playing out. The children gathered in areas across the world. Ready for their new lives as drugs for a bunch of alien addicts._

_"I don't know what to do," Jenny said. "We can't build a transmitter that'll work. There's… there's no other way to defeat them."_

_Jack turned away from the window. "There is_ one _way."_

* * *

_"You've got to be kidding," Jenny said. She shook her head. "We can't. It would kill the kid!"_

_"Don't you think I know that?" Jack snapped._

_There should have been another way. Every single one of them knew it._

_But there was no time left to find it._

_"If they're countering our wave form with some kind of… cancellation field," Jenny argued, "then your solution wouldn't work, anyways."_

_"But they're not jamming the signal," Jack said. "Just the transmitter! Get the signal through, and they'll still leave."_

_Jenny shuddered. "Get it through… using a kid."_

_"I've done it before," Jack told her. "I know it'll work. The 456 use the kids to transmit. So they won't have jammed that transmission channel. We can use the kids, too."_

_"And murder whomever we use as the focus!" Jenny snapped. "Condemning some innocent to a fate like that! Someone's child! What would you say, if it was your…?!"_

_"I can do it," Seo interrupted._

_Jenny and Jack both froze. Then spun around to face her._

_"What?" Jenny said. "Seo, you're at least two hundred and six! Probably older! There's no way—"_

_"No, I'm about three hours old," Seo insisted. She looked down at herself. "Or this body is. That's what the 456 are targeting, right? People with young bodies?"_

_"And young minds," Jack pointed out._

_"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Seo assured him, walking into position. "I've always been extremely immature." She grinned, standing in the middle of the controls. "So go on. I mean, this is what I do, right? This is what it means to be Seo. It means I save kids."_

_Jenny gritted her teeth. "Seo, it'll kill you."_

_"I thought you said I was indestructible."_

_"I… I mean… you might be!" Jenny said. "Or not! I don't… actually know." She shook her head. "But I'm still not killing you."_

_"You wouldn't be killing me," Seo assured her. "You'd just be killing my brain." She paused. "Which reminds me." She spun on Jack. "Please don't put my brain into a jar and carry it around with you. It's creepy."_

_Jack couldn't speak. Horror washing through him. Followed by a flood of memories he'd never wanted to face again._

_"So go on," Seo said to Jenny. She beamed. "Let's see if this works."_

* * *

_It didn't._

_Seo froze. As, outside, across the world, the children froze._

_Both standing so still, as if waiting for a signal._

_And then Seo's body began to judder and convulse, her eyes rolling up in her head, blood seeping out from her ears, as she collapsed to the ground. The children broke out of their spell. The machinery surged with too much energy, then burst into a shower of sparks and flame._

_Jenny grabbed a fire extinguisher, putting out the flames._

_Jack raced out to help Seo. Feeling his heart grow heavier and heavier, as the dread of what he'd see grew inside him. Would it be like before? Could he have lost her forever?_

_Had she died for nothing?_

_Outside, the beams of light flashed through the upper atmosphere. Waiting for the children._

_Jack and Jenny looked up. Through the window._

_"It's starting," Jack said._

_"We're too late," Jenny breathed._

_Those beams were all across the world. Those bright beams of light, looking just the way that Jack remembered them from 1965. Children moving towards each one, as if caught in a trance._

_Too late._

_They'd sacrificed the one person they swore they never would… and for nothing. Nothing!_

_Then the children stopped._

_Froze._

_"We," the children stated. "We. We. We. We."_

_What now? Some new demand? What could the 456 be up to, this time?_

_"We are," the children all said, in unison. "We are. We are. We are."_

_Jenny frowned. "That's not right," she said. "That's not how it works. The children only chant that at the beginning, as a scare tactic. We're past that point."_

_Jack didn't understand it, either. Even after all this time with STP, fighting against these Radiowave Bullies — he'd never seen this happen, before._

_"We… are…" the children all stated. Then they turned. "…going home."_

_"What?" said Jenny, sprinting to the TV monitor and flipping around the satellite network, staring as she watched all the children, all across the world, suddenly turn and walk away from the beams of light._

_"We are going home," the children repeated. "We are going home. We are going home." In unison, all the children looked back over their shoulders, and waved. "Bye forever, Radiowave Bullies!"_

_Jack and Jenny stared. Then turned back to Seo._

_Who was now wrapped in a swirling pool of regenerative energy. And was smiling, widely._

_From the other monitor, the representative from the 456 roared. "We'll destroy your planet!" it declared. "Kill all!"_

_"In…" said the children, in unison. "In… In… In about… in about… in about 40 trillion years."_

_"Tachyon acceleration," Seo breathed, from her spot on the floor. She laughed, a little. "That's how the Radiowave Bullies get their radio waves to travel faster than light. It's how they send their plagues and transmissions and things. How they transport themselves here!" She opened her eyes, sitting up. "Small-scale temporal mechanics. My regeneration energy blocked it."_

_Jenny's face broke into shock. Then a large smile._

_As she rushed over and swept her sister into the tightest possible hug._

_"That's why none of the signals were getting through," Seo explained. "Not yours. Not theirs. It all made sense when you started using me as the transmitter. I could feel me blocking myself."_

_"And the beams of light?" said Jack._

_"Oh, that's just a trick," said Seo. "My trick. They don't lead anywhere. How can they? All the radio waves are traveling at normal speed, now. Slower than light." She shrugged. "Anything the Radiowave Bullies send to this planet will take trillions of years to get here. Everyone here is completely safe."_

_"What about the 456 ambassador?" said Jenny. "Their 'Thug In Chief'?"_

_Seo reflected. "I suppose it's up to us to deal with him," she decided. She grinned. "But that's all right. We can manage… now that I know who I am."_

_"You've figured it out?" said Jack._

_"I'm Seo," Seo informed him and Jenny. "Really Seo. Defender of children. And protector of my family."_

_Jenny swept her into a tight hug. "That's Seo," she agreed. "Always."_


	14. Chapter 14

The Fifth Seo, her skin a chocolate brown, fro-hair bobbing, slick stylish jacket gleaming beneath the lights, dashed into the engine room before the others. Checked around her, looking for any sign of the chorus she'd heard, before, over the loudspeakers. But… nope. No one was in here.

No one was _anywhere_. Not one living soul on this ship!

Even though… they'd heard them!

Still. Better look at the engines. Weren't sounding right, if Seo knew her starship engines — and she did. She leapt over, bent down.

Huh.

Fusion drive.

Go figure. Not expecting that! Seo hadn't thought, in a universe like this, there'd be any chance of seeing someone with a fusion drive engine. But maybe it was a lucky break for her. Just so happened, Seo was queen when it came to fusion drive engines.

She dove towards the engine. Started taking bits apart, trying to work out where it had gone wrong. Funny, that. She'd done this a thousand times, was an expert, really, but… whatever was wrong, here… just didn't make sense. Seo couldn't figure it.

And she'd kicked butt with fusion drive, in the past!

Like when she'd swung by the Fourth Great Civil Rights movement? That was where she'd picked up Mibon — and he was probably the best eye-candy of an assistant she'd ever had, absolutely gorgeous guy. Total whiz with fusion engines. Also, he was part-Venothol, which meant Seo stood up for him.

Hey.

That was her duty, as a member of a minority group, right? Stick up for the little guy?

(Didn't hurt if he was a bit cute, too.)

"Yo, Chibi-Me," the Fifth Seo called out. She tossed a component over her shoulder. "Catch."

The Fourth her caught it, easily. Then stared. "Fusion drive?!"

"I know, right?" said Fifth Seo, continuing her work. "What are the odds?"

"I'd say about zero," Sixth Seo cut in. Still wearing her boring-looking sweater, and a pair of unstylish black pants. "Especially since this is a fusion drive from a Seven-Twenty Jezobian space ship. You can see their copyright sign."

Seo Five froze.

She _could_. Damn. Should'a noticed that one.

"How's that possible?" said Chibi-her. "Unless those Knights of Byzantium were more right than they knew. And there really _used_ to be a permanent link between this universe and ours."

"There wasn't," said the Fifth and Sixth Seos, together.

"Something's wrong about this," the Sixth Seo decided. She chewed her lower lip, analyzing their surroundings more carefully. "We're in the middle of a space fleet. Composed of space ships we've never seen, before. All carrying technology from the wrong universe."

"Definitely something we're missing," Fifth Seo agreed, getting up.

A breeze swept through the room. A breeze that was almost a whisper. One that echoed through each and every one of their minds.

_Creation process complete._

"Creation process?" said the Sixth Seo. She looked around herself. But could see nothing. "Come out of there! I know you're hiding. What creation process?"

"They're getting it from us," said Seo Five. Crossed her arms. "Our minds. Pretty obvious, if you think about it. Plucked out our thoughts, and gave them life."

"We had to be somewhere before the process started, though," Sixth Seo pointed out. "We're in space. You proposing we were floating around in the vacuum before this space ship got built around us?"

"If there's fire in a vacuum, here," Chibi-Seo proposed, "maybe we can breathe in a vacuum."

They all looked at one another.

Then laughed it off.

"Better question," Fifth Seo proposed. "They're creating ships from our thoughts and memories. Why?"

"Because our sacrifice is the most glorious thing of all," said the Jezobian creature who emerged into plain sight, brandishing its gun. "All must sacrifice in war. It is our duty. A glorious sacrifice. For the glorious goddess."

The Seos all looked at one another.

So. Brainwashed Jezobian replica. Interesting.

"Guessing this… 'glorious goddess' would be… Glorificus?" Fifth Seo proposed.

"We conquer the Vptorian Galaxy in her name!" shouted the Jezobian. "Her glorious honor! Her…"

"Vptorian Galaxy?" Fourth Seo stepped forwards. "I've never heard of that one."

"It is awash with the stains of blood from the many glorious sacrifices before ours," said the Jezobian. "We offer ourselves. Our lives. Our duties. We offer them so she may take them. Take this galaxy. As she bid us do, a thousand years ago."

"A thousand, again," muttered the Sixth Seo. She ruffled a hand through her super-short blond hair. "That number keeps coming up."

"All must strive to reach a thousand," said the Jezobian. "It is the holy number. The one of the glorious sacrifice."

Another explosion, and the entire ship shook once more. The Seos clinging to whatever they could find, trying to keep their balance.

"It begins," the Jezobian declared, reverence and awe in his voice. He turned, and headed out of the room. "It begins. Our wonderful deaths."

"What?" shouted the Seos.

They all raced after him, Fifth Seo finally grabbing him up and twisting him around, so she could hoist him against the wall of the space ship corridor. "Who are you fighting?" she demanded. "What's this about?"

"We fight for her," the Jezobian said. "We are born in her wisdom, and we die for her sake. She is perfection, and when this ship is destroyed completely, then our purpose will have been achieved."

"Did he just say 'destroyed completely'?" Fourth Seo asked.

"We have to die!" cried the Jezobian, managing to wriggle out of the Fifth Seo's grip. "It is our duty! To die! To let this ship be destroyed!"

The Fifth Seo lunged for him, again, but he swiped at her with a strange stick, crackling with blue energy. Fifth Seo cried out, as it impacted on her skin. Leaving an angry purple welt, and making her drop to her knees, the Jezobian getting away.

Chibi-Seo swung around, and fired.

A bolt of light seared through the Jezobian, and he dropped to the ground.

A tiny, high-intensity energy gun was still smoking in the Fourth Seo's hands, her expression grim and determined.

The Fifth and Sixth Seos looked at the gun. Then their former self.

"I just stunned him," Fourth Seo said. "What do you think I am?"

The others reflected. Then shrugged.

"Forgot we used to carry around a gun," said Sixth Seo. "Braided into the hair, wasn't it?"

Fourth Seo exposed the bottom of her slightly undone right-most pigtail. With a small smile. "You can braid anything into hair."

The ship's alarms began to flash, as the count-down to self-destruct began.

Sixth Seo swore.

"Chibi, look after Cool-me," said Six, racing off. "I gotta disable that self-destruct."

Four looked after her. "Shoulda let me do it," she muttered, tucking the gun back into her braid and turning to the injured Five, lying on the ground. "It's my talent."

"This place is nuts," Fifth Seo said, letting Chibi help up. "I don't think they're fighting an enemy at all. I think they're just killing themselves."

"Have you noticed something else?" said Chibi. She went over to the wall, and engaged one of the Jezobian computer systems. Showed Fifth Seo the statistics. "This battle fleet. It's composed of exactly 1,000 Jezobians on each ship."

So… their sixth self had been right.

"A thousand," said the Fifth Seo. "Well. Can't be the 'holy number' for nothing."

Four reached into her pocket, brought out some field-medical supplies, began patching Five up swiftly, without any pause in her actions.

"You must be a pro at that by now," Five pointed out.

Four glared. "We never had a choice, you know," she said. Voice dark. "If STP hadn't done this, children on countless worlds would have been harvested as drugs. We had to get involved. Where it went, in the end, was…"

"Inevitable," Five said. "I remember."

Four finished up her bandaging. "Let's get after the Mom-Us," she said. Turning around. "Help disable that self-destruct."

"Wonder why she hasn't done it, yet," said Five, following Four down the corridor.

They found Six in the middle of a full-out ninja style fight with the Jezobians on the bridge. Four and Five immediately raced in, as well, trying to help Six get to the deactivation controls. But they never seemed to make progress. Jezobians were everywhere, and they couldn't get through. Couldn't…

The countdown finished.

Three…

Two…

One…

Fourth Seo got to the console.

But that was when everything exploded around them. And fell apart.


	15. The Story of the Fifth Seo

_Maybe this was how regenerations worked._

_Like they played off your subconscious thoughts, or something. Turned you into the guys you wanted to help save and protect._

_Still. Timing couldn't have been worse._

_Seo had been tracking down a white supremacist in 1960's America, who'd managed to get himself infected with an alien parasite. Would have been fine, except he was driving Seo nuts with his racist ranting!_

_If the alien hadn't posed a serious threat to the planet and the entire human race, Seo would probably have let the parasite eat the bastard._

_But… nope. Seo had to get that alien out of there. Which almost worked, except the racist blowhard had decided to do something stupid which alerted everyone else that the alien was there, at which point the alien released a cloud of toxic vapors throughout the room, everyone started coughing and choking, and then…_

_Well._

_Then Seo died._

_Next thing Seo knew, she was opening her eyes. Watching her extremely dishy companion, Hal, try to drag her out of the room._

_"What?" said Seo. She tried to squirm out of his grip. "Let go. Gotta get that alien before—"_

_"Seo," Hal cut in. "Look at yourself."_

_That was one of the stupidest things Seo had ever heard._

_"Can't do mirrors, remember?" Seo said. She looked down at herself. "What's up, anyways? Don't tell me I'm a guy, now! That'd be…"_

_That was when she noticed._

_"Hey!" Seo cried, her face delighted as she examined her hands. "Look at that! I'm a different color!" She grinned. "Never been a different color before! Good stuff!"_

_"Not while we're in the middle of segregationist America," Hal said, glancing around himself, nervously, "in a country club for 'Whites Only', where most of the members have openly admitted they're part of the KKK, and_ you're sitting in the middle of a bunch of dead bodies _!"_

_Oh._

_Yeah._

_That could be a problem, huh?_

_Especially since, at that moment, someone burst through the back door. Saw the bodies. Saw Seo. And screamed._

_Seo jumped to her feet. Grabbed Hal by the hand._

_"Leg it!" Seo shouted._

* * *

_Seo didn't know why the regeneration had turned out looking the way it did. Didn't really care, either. What mattered was… she was black._

_And loving it._

_"Washington DC, 2167," Seo announced, running outside her ship. "Pinnacle of the Second Great Civil Rights Movement!" Spun around, arms raised. "Take a look! People of every race, gender, sexuality, and cultural heritage, getting together for a peaceful demonstration — to demand equal representation in the first space colony expeditions!"_

_Hal nodded, slowly. Then pointed to a human walking by with horns on his head. "What's with the horns?"_

_"Part demon," Seo dismissed, looking around. "Common around this time. Since the Demon Civil War ended… about a century ago, I think." She grinned, as she spotted the group she wanted. "Hey, and thereare my people!"_

_She leapt forwards, racing towards the African American picket group._

_Hal stared. Then raced after her. "Seo!" he shouted. "You're an alien! They're not your—!"_

_But Seo wasn't listening._

_And neither were her people._

* * *

_"Found him," Seo told Harriet Tubman, leading the lost little boy back to the group. "And I led the patrollers off using a distraction. But there'll be more along, soon."_

_Harriet Tubman quickly ushered the boy into the group, then began to rally everyone together, giving them the courage and strength to venture on, at all odds, towards freedom._

_And they all began to run, again._

_"So… these guys are slaves," Hal clarified. "But if they get to the 'North', they become free… automatically?"_

_Hal, it seemed, like most colonists of the planet Rimehorn in the 63rd century, had not learned very much about 19th century American history. Actually… hadn't learned anything about 19th century America._

_"Yep," said Seo. "And I'm getting them there. Because I gotta stand by my people."_

_Hal buried his face in his hands. "Seo, you're not even human. It doesn't matter if you're black now. They're still not your people!"_

_"Being black isn't about the color of your skin!" Seo insisted. "It's a code, a shared history and a shared suffering! It's—" Seo stopped. Frowned. "No, wait. That's not the reason I'm black. That's my father's reason why I'm not technically a Time Lord."_

_Hal gave her a pointed look._

_"Yeah, well, they're still my people," Seo decided. "Gotta stand by 'em!"_

_She really hoped it was dark enough out, tonight, that Hal couldn't see her cheeks growing red._

* * *

_In the dense foliage of an alien world, Hal looked back over his shoulder, tense. "Those insect things will come after us at any moment."_

_"Don't worry," Seo dismissed, stepping confidently out into the open. "They're my people. They won't harm us."_

_Hal did a double take. Then stumbled._

_"They're what?!" Hal cried._

_"You gotta stand up for your people," Seo assured him._

_The insects surrounded them, flying through the air, large mandibles dangling before them, the syllables of their language hissing and clicking into words of "Do not move!" and "You are prisoners!"_

_Seo and Hal put their hands up._

_"They're… your people," said Hal, looking between Seo and the insects, as they were led away. He shook his head. "I really, really, really don't see it, this time."_

_"Hey, we're both from oppressed minority groups," Seo explained, not at all worried by the gun being prodded in her back, "who have a unique cultural identity, and are being trampled and downtrodden by the man-in-charge, who's—"_

_"Seo, for the last time, it doesn't matter what your skin color is, you're not part of an oppressed minority group!" Hal insisted._

_"Yeah? Who says!" Seo retorted. Pounded her fist against her chest. "Dimensional Key, here. Only one left in the universe. That makes me a minority." Put on a proud look. "And considering the amount of time I'm shot at or locked up or interrogated, I'm definitely oppressed!"_

_Hal sighed. "I'm never going to win this, am I?"_

_"Whitey's not gonna keep me down," Seo insisted. "Or keep down these insects!"_

_"'Whitey'… meaning the green-skinned aliens?" Hal asked. "Who have no whiteness about them at all?"_

_Seo shot him a glare. "Stop stamping on my metaphors, here. We're sticking up for my people. End of story."_

* * *

_In all her lives, Seo had always been defined by the things she wasn't._

_She was part-human, but she wasn't fully human, so humans claimed she "wasn't their people". She was part-Gallifreyan — but there was no way she'd ever be accepted by them, even if she'd wanted to be._

_She was part-hell goddess, but the higher dimensional beings all wanted her killed or imprisoned._

_And she was part-Slayer, but that hadn't stopped the Watchers Council from locking her up and threatening her over and over again, across all her voyages through the Slayer's past._

_Too higher dimensional for the lower dimensional beings, too lower dimensional for the higher ones. Too alien to be human, too human to be properly alien. And even as a dimensional Key… well, there was only one proper Dimensional Key that had been constructed for this universe, and it wasn't Seo._

_Truth was… no one was Seo's people._

_Because no one wanted her._

_Except now._

_For the first time, Seo was accepted. Embraced. Brought into the community simply because she looked a certain way, and that meant a certain set of things. She could be part of a group, part of a demographic, part of a wider picture._

_Seo would always stand by her people._

_The people who accepted her._


	16. Chapter 16

The Eighth Seo stepped back, beaming, once they'd both completed their work. "Got it!"

Flitchor just stood, dumbstruck. Staring as the Seos' trick worked, and electricity was able to flow even through the Stillness. Images flickered onto the screen, before him. Images of the frozen parts of his own world.

"But that's… that's… impossible," Flitchor insisted. "You couldn't have…"

"It's the difference between the laws of the macro-verse, and the laws of the micro-verse," Seven put in. "The result of living in a universe with quantum physics! Just as matter particles have different physical properties on the nano-scale — time does, too. In its smallest chrononic bits and pieces."

"Which, apparently, carries over even in this universe," Eight replied. She gave a half-shrug. "Albeit… your universe obeys a slightly different set of quantum temporal rules than ours, but… well…" She exchanged a look with her former-self. "We are brilliant. We worked it out."

It took them a while longer, however, to use the images they recovered from across the world to piece together what had happened. Figure out which events would have come first, and which would have come last.

Flitchor helped immensely with that.

"The architecture," Flitchor said, gaping at one of the images. "I've only ever read about it in books. It's the style we used before the war. I thought… it was all gone."

"So this is the earliest!" said Seven. "Or one of the earliest." She squinted at the image, then flipped to another camera in the same town. "Ah. I _thought_ I recognized that statue."

Eight came up behind her. Froze, when she saw it.

"Glorificus," said Eight. "Flitchor mentioned her, didn't he?"

Seven pointed at the image. "But look what they're doing!" she said. "Tearing the statue down. And they look… well… terrified, doing it."

"Like people under an occupation," Eight hypothesized. "Forced to accept a new regime. Getting rid of any signs of the old one." She turned on Flitchor. "Glory didn't actually win the battle that took place here, did she? She lost."

Flitchor shrugged. "I don't know."

"It might explain why she came back to destroy you," Seven supplied. "If she lost the battle here. If you lot were all under the thumb of her enemies."

They kept flipping through places.

Saw the results of the chaos of differently-flowing time currents. The people fleeing from the stillness, yet caught by it. The people who clearly had no idea why the world was stopping around them.

And then…

They saw one city — the only city — where everyone seemed _happy_.

They were downright festive! Celebrations in the street. People cheering and clapping. The hopeful looks of a people who knew they were about to be saved.

And right in the middle of the festivities, the people who had the most hope on their faces — were all standing by a mysterious-looking machine. Watching its readouts, as if the Stillness had burst upon them too quickly for any of them to notice what had happened.

"The source of the Stillness," Eight guessed.

"Has to be," Seven agreed. "Whatever that contraption does, it's what transformed this world from chaos into frozen time. And those engineers had no idea it would happen."

"The… Salvation of Glorificus," Flitchor breathed.

Both Seos turned on him. Watching as the horror and awe spread across his face.

"It… was just a name I heard," Flitchor told them. "The Elders used to talk about it. They never said what it was, but… well… they always said the word 'Salvation' as if it were some sort of disgusting joke."

"And you didn't think to mention this to us earlier?" Seven demanded.

Flitchor held up his hands. "I didn't know what it was!" he insisted. "Didn't know if it even existed. It had become such a… fairytale, almost, when I'd heard of it…"

Seven turned back to the image.

Her brow furrowed, as she thought the situation through.

"So this world, Bvotin," Seven surmised, "it was once devoted to Glory. If that statue was any indication."

"But Glory lost the battle for this world," Eight continued. "Bvotin fell to the other two. Became under their occupation. The devastation from the battle left Bvotin swirling with chaotic time eddies, and the world was unable to cope."

"And then… for some reason," Seven said, "at the end of the war, Glory came back here."

"To devastate Bvotin, yes," Eight agreed. "Destroy the battleground she couldn't win."

Seven pointed at the screen. "And yet… this lot _trusted_ her," she pointed out. "They thought she was there to save them!" Shook her head. "How could they have been that _thick_?!"

Seven waited for her elder-self to reply.

Then realized… Eight was glaring at her. A dark expression planted on her elder-self's face. A fury barely contained.

Seconds later, Eight looked away. And the rage was gone.

"Right, then!" the Eighth Seo announced. "I'd say it's clear what we have to do. Break ourselves down at a quantum level, reassemble ourselves in that city, and fix their time-stopping machine. Use it to reverse the Stillness."

"But… but… you'll be killed!" Flitchor insisted. "The moment you arrive in that city, the Stillness will take you, too! You'll be unable to fix anything!"

"Oh, I doubt it," Eight replied. Gave him a warm smile. "We've been through a number of these, now. Distortions of time and space."

"Yes, across our earlier incarnations," Seven chimed in. "I remember."

"And the distortion might cause us to temporarily pass out," said Eight, "but it doesn't affect us the same way as it affects the natives of this universe."

"Like on Urgoz Nutcolz," said Seven. "The time distortion didn't kill us the same way it killed everyone else — just knocked us out. The natives were astonished we'd survived it!"

"And in the Vptorian Galaxy," Eight agreed. "The same thing. The distortion still didn't affect us the way it affected everyone else around us." She stepped towards Flitchor. "It makes sense, really. After all. We're not from this reality. Time works differently for us than it does for you. It affects us differently."

Seven raced over. Already rewiring and reconnecting machinery, to create the transporter they needed. One that would pick up even their own makeup. "Then what are we waiting for?" she cried. "No time to lose!"

Eight turned. Her eyes fixed on her earlier self. They grew that much darker.

"I never did have patience when I was you," she gritted through her teeth. "Did I?"

"Yeah, but I'm a cutie, anyways," Seven assured her. Getting to work.

With the two of them working together, they managed to have the device completed in record time. With minimal griping, glares, and Seven fantasizing about all the people she'd like to snog. Turned out, mathematics was a great mediator between them.

When it was done, they stood together, side-by-side, and flicked the last switch.

Transported themselves into the Stillness.

And passed out.

* * *

Peri had seen the black-haired Seo scale the wall of the castle — alone — desperately climbing away from the castle-looking thing. She dropped off the edge and thudded against the ground. Peri raced out to help, but Seo had just brushed past her, not saying a word, and raced back into the Garden.

"What?" said Peri. Ran after her. "What happened?"

But Peri never got an answer. Just followed Seo as she tore through the Garden grounds, stamping and stumbling and not caring what she squished or what she left alone. Followed, as Seo tore through a leafy grove, and uncovered…

The TARDIS.

Right where it had landed.

Seo stared at it. "It's really him." Her eyes were wide, and there was a profound look of utter grief and devastation on her face, as she sunk down to her knees in front of it. Then squeezed her eyes shut, and took long, deep breaths.

It looked like she was trying, desperately not to cry.

"What?" said Peri.

But Seo couldn't answer. Not for a few moments, while she tried to calm herself down.

"It's okay," Peri said, kneeling down next to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. Brain trying frantically to work out what was going on. "You… know the Doctor. Couldn't get him out. I understand. Trust me, I'm just as worried about saving him as you are. But we can't do this until—"

"He's dead."

The words were like a slap across Peri's face.

She just… couldn't believe them. Couldn't even absorb them. "What?" said Peri. "The Doctor's…? I mean, those two just…?!"

Seo looked up at Peri. "No, in _my_ personal timeline," she explained. "He's dead. I've been to his grave. I…" She sucked in a sharp breath, squeezed her eyes shut. "I thought I was dealing with it."

Now Peri was completely lost.

What was this Seo person talking about?

"Okay, go slower," Peri said. "So… the Doctor is… what? Dead, or alive?"

"From your point of view?" said Seo. "From his? Yes. He's still alive." She dropped her head. "He also hasn't met me, yet."

Oh.

Oh! This was starting to make sense.

"You know him from his future!" Peri realized. "Way in his future, when he's old and he…" Then got why Seo had been so upset. "Oh."

Seo nodded.

"He died a hero," she said. "The universe will never forget him. And neither will Jenny or I."

Peri had no idea who this 'Jenny' person was. But she guessed that if Seo was close to the Doctor, when he died… and had only just been getting over his death… seeing him alive, again, might have been a pretty big shock.

Or more than that.

"And… you're going to tell me that you can't get him out," Peri guessed, "because you've accidentally crossed his timeline before he's met you, and that goes against all kinds of Laws of Time and stuff?"

Seo paused. Thinking this through. "Accidentally…"

Then jumped back to her feet.

"Oh, I should have thought of that. It's why I got tricked! Why I was pulled here! Except…" Seo gritted her teeth. "No. No, he couldn't… unless…" Ran hands through her hair. "I mean it's possible. Doubling back on a timeline. But I thought… I was sure…"

And… Peri was lost, again.

"Well, you definitely know the Doctor," Peri offered, with a smile. "You have his incomprehensible ramble down perfectly!"

Seo spun around to face Peri. "Tell me what happened," she said, "to get you two here. To this universe. Tell me everything."

So Peri did.


	17. Peri and the Sixth Doctor's Story

* * *

_"…inconsiderate, inane nincompoops!" the Doctor was shouting. "Those idiotic, ridiculous, atrociously distasteful…!"_

_"Hey, what's all the shouting about?" Peri interrupted, treading carefully. It always paid to be careful when the Doctor was in one of his shouting moods. Startle him, and you'd spend the rest of your morning picking up bits of broken teapot off the TARDIS floor!_

_The Doctor, in response, thrust a glowing cube in her face. "This!" he said, by way of explanation._

_Peri waited for him to go on._

_But he clearly felt he'd said more than enough._

_"And that… would be…?" Peri prompted._

_"This!" shouted the Doctor. "This is an outrage! A perturbation of justice! A veritable eradication of all that is good and right in this universe, just so that some bureaucratic half-wits can have me cavorting half way across the multi-dimensional cosmos, to do a job not even a dullard would find stimulating. It's madness in the form of a hypercube, that's what it is!"_

_Peri knew it had to be_ really _bad for him to launch into that many complicated words all at once._

_"I'm guessing that means," Peri said, "that whatever this thing's about, we're not going to do it."_

_The Doctor sighed. Then turned back to the console. "No. I'm afraid, my dear Peri, that we have little choice." He leaned over the controls, his head dropping. "It's a task from the Time Lords. Upset them, and next thing you know, I'll be hauled in front of a tribunal, forcibly regenerated, and stranded upon 20th century Earth. And I have no wish to do_ that _again."_

_"The Time Lords?" Peri repeated. "Your own people?"_

_"Yes."_

_This was starting to sound interesting. The Doctor had rarely talked about his own people before._

_"So… what do they want you to do?" Peri asked. "Vanquish some undefeatable foe on your home planet?"_

_"Nothing so exciting as that, I'm afraid," the Doctor muttered. He plugged the hypercube into a slot in the TARDIS console. "No, unfortunately, this is a mere delivery job. Voyage to another universe, give some higher dimensional beings a crystal lattice containing a warning from the Matrix, and then… well, that's it, really." He began fiddling around with the TARDIS controls. "All in all, rather a boring job for someone as brilliant and awe-inspiring as me."_

_"Containing a warning?" said Peri. She raced closer, leaning over to try to see into the hypercube, but failing. "What kind of warning?"_

_"Well, that's just it, Peri," the Doctor said, looking up at her. "I have absolutely no idea."_

_She met his eyes with hers._

_"That seems fishy," Peri pointed out._

_"Extremely," the Doctor agreed._

_And pulled the dematerialization lever._


	18. Chapter 18

"Then we showed up here," said Peri. "I started looking at the plants, while the Doctor kept trying to open the crystal lattice and see what the warning was. He got taken away by these two guys, and… then I met you."

Seo absorbed this. "I see." Her frown deepening. "So I was right. It's… that thing, again. Using my memories of my aunt to send me into a heightened emotional state. Overwhelm my neural processes during the transfer between universes, using my ring, maybe something in the gun, too, to fuse all the grief I felt for everyone together, and make sure I couldn't control myself the moment I saw…"

She went quiet.

"Explains why my ring got messed up," she muttered. "Clever. Very clever."

Peri swung her arms, nervously. "Okay," she said. "Still kind of hoping for an explanation, here."

"But still! None of that explains," Seo went on, ignoring Peri, "why I keep remembering things from this universe. Things I shouldn't remember. I've never been here before. But I keep remembering my younger selves popping up, like…" She stopped. Then groaned, "Unless it's the mad version of me, changing about my own past." Seo then noticed Peri, who was still looking extremely lost. And grinned. "Never mind. I seem perfectly sane now, nothing's happened to drive me mad, yet. And that's all that counts, really!"

Peri nodded, slowly. "Sure! Whatever you say!"

Seo clapped her hands, in a burst of enthusiasm. "Right! Better get my… I mean, get the Doctor out. What with the… crossed-timeline issues, I'm afraid you'll have to do most of the work. Which is a bit unfortunate, since you, unlike myself, are probably going to wind up being visible to the inhabitants of that castle."

Peri seemed confused. "You're… invisible?"

"Another long story," Seo replied, with a grimace. "But it does mean I'll be able to scout ahead and plan out the route for you. Make sure you're not about to walk into any traps or such. Course, once you find the Doctor, I'll have to make myself scarce. But… I'm sure you'll be fine, by then."

Peri nodded. Then looked up at the large flowers. "So… we're going back in," she said. Shrugged. "You know, I never thought I'd find out what it was like to be used as a human cannon ball. But I guess there's a first time for everything!"

Peri made for the flowers, but Seo caught her by the shoulder. Held her back.

Peri turned around, and Seo winked.

"One other thing you should know about me," Seo said. She tucked a hand into her pocket, and brought out the key to the front gate of the castle. "I happen to be a very good thief."

* * *

The Doctor adjusted his patchwork coat, trying to maintain his air of dignity as the two multi-dimensional beings re-entered the cell area. They held the crystal lattice in their hands.

"You," said the taller one. "You brought us this. A warning." He held out the lattice.

"Yes," the Doctor replied. "I believe that is what I've been trying to iterate for the past hour or so. Finally ready to listen?"

They didn't seem to notice.

"Do you know what it says?" the shorter one demanded.

The Doctor sighed, in irritation. "No," he said. "If you'll recall, I had nearly managed to break the seal on the lattice when you two showed up and took it from me."

"Then the mortal has no further information," the taller one said. He waved his hand, and a glowing sheet of energy appeared above the Doctor, descending towards him. "His life has no use for us."

Oh, dear.

"Wait!" the Doctor shouted.

The other two had already turned and begun to head out. The energy whooshing down faster and faster, the Doctor ducking to the bottom of his cell to gain more time.

"Kill me and you'll only be weakening yourselves!" he shouted.

This made the lethal-looking energy stop in its tracks — inches from the Doctor's head.

The two multi-dimensional beings turned back to face the Doctor. Vaguely intrigued. "How so?"

"I can explain," the Doctor said. "But I'll need one of those… minion creatures you keep shepherding along."

The taller waved his hand, and the energy field disappeared.

With another wave of his hand, a scared-looking minion had appeared in the Doctor's cell.

"Explain quickly," said the shorter. "Before we grow bored and decide we no longer care."

"Won't take a minute," the Doctor assured them, fumbling in his pockets. "Aha!" He brought out a thumbtack, with a little smile. "Now," turning to the minion, "sorry about this — it may sting a little."

And he stabbed the thumbtack into the minion's index finger.

The minion yelped — with surprise more than pain.

A small trickle of what looked a little like blood pooled out — along with a small wave of dizziness that the Doctor knew was time distortion.

"That's what you're expecting," the Doctor said. "An injury to him releases spacio-temporal ripples, which you two lap up. Mortal people are the source of time in your universe, and their deaths give you a temporary surge of power."

"We know this," said the shorter.

"But _I'm_ not from your universe," the Doctor continued. "Prick my finger…" He did so, then hissed and shook out his hand. "Ouch."

The others shuddered back.

"What is that?" the taller demanded.

The Doctor grinned, smugly. "As I thought. The regenerative platelets in my blood work on artron energy. Time as it operates in my universe. The regenerative energy is anathema to your very existence."

The Doctor fished in his pockets, then revealed two sticky plasters. With a smile of reassurance, he placed one over the wound on the minion's finger, and one over his own.

"All healed," the Doctor declared.

The two multi-dimensional creatures seemed to be better immediately.

"Kill me," the Doctor continued, "and I'll regenerate. Unleash a wave of artron that would cripple the both of you."

"We are gods," said the short one. "It would do nothing."

"If you were at the height of your powers, probably not," the Doctor agreed. "But at the moment, it looks like you're both extremely weak. I'd hate to see what my regeneration does to you, in this state."

The two multi-dimensional entities looked as if they'd rarely been in this situation before. A situation in which all the power — and perhaps their very immortality — was in the hands of someone else.

The Doctor supposed the concept was a bit alien to them.

"Well," the Doctor said, climbing back to his feet and brushing himself off. "Fortunately for you, I'm not a vindictive sort of fellow. In fact, I believe you'll find me fairly amicable."

"What do you want from us, mortal?" the taller demanded.

"Not 'mortal'," the Doctor corrected. "It's 'the Doctor'. And what I'd like to know is… what, precisely was in that lattice." He met their eyes with his own, trying to ignore the fact that their visage seemed to burn deep in his mind. "Because if the Time Lords were worried enough to warn the likes of you, I'm betting it's something that threatens _both_ of our realities."

The two were silent for a long moment.

Then, "She will return."

The Doctor blinked. "She?" he said. "Who's 'she'?"

"She who tore our universe asunder!" shouted the shorter. "Her name is forbidden. Her presence a blight upon creation itself! Once she ruled with us, but then she was told her future. Her fate."

"To become a god unique and singular," said the taller. "To become the most powerful goddess ever born, and to inspire the love of all her followers."

"So we went to war," said the shorter. "We fought her for a thousand years. She destroyed half our universe. But we beat her in the end."

"And sent her, in exile, to another realm," said the taller. "Far from our own."

Ah.

Three guesses as to where that realm would be.

"But this lattice you have given us warns that she survived, in that realm," the taller continued. "Under mortal guise. It warns of her return."

"Thus forcing her way through the dimensional and universal gateways and destabilizing powers the Time Lords have kept in check for countless millennia," the Doctor muttered. "Yes. I see why they'd have been worried about that."

But there was still something not quite right about all of this.

"Our actions are clear," said the shorter. "We must locate her within your universe, when she is still in mortal form. When she is weak and vulnerable. Then we must seek vengeance on her before she can seek the same on us."

Oh, dear.

"Kill the mortal and you kill her," the Doctor said. "That's your hypothesis?"

"Indeed," said the shorter.

The Doctor nodded, very slowly. Began to pace. "Well, then I suppose I'll have to help you," he decided. Looked up to face them. "Bring her to justice."

"You wish to aid us?" said the taller.

"But to do so, I'll need to understand the situation better," said the Doctor, getting back to his pacing. "Hear all about this war of yours, and how, exactly, you two managed to defeat… 'Her'."

"And what do you wish in return for your services?" the shorter demanded.

The Doctor paused. "Well, I should think that was obvious," he said. "I want to save the mortal."


	19. Chapter 19

When Jenny re-emerged into her and Boe's base, back on Earth, she was holding a weird-looking gun-type thing in her hand.

"Well, if we didn't know it before, we know it for sure now," she said to Boe, brushing past him. "All the other incarnations of Seo have been taken out of time. Sent to that universe when they shouldn't have been. But _not_ the Ninth Seo."

"You found out who sent her there?" said Boe.

"Nope," said Jenny. Raised up the gun. "But I know how she got there."

Boe went over. Took the gun from her, inspecting it carefully. "It's not a gun," he realized. "What is it?"

Jenny took it back. "My guess?" she said. "Something that's designed to tune right into Seo's Key frequencies, when you fire it at her. Heightened and controlled by her ring." She began clearing off an area to use as a workspace. "Won't know for sure until I take it apart."

"And the person who fired it?" said Boe.

"Dead," said Jenny. "He was a random, anyways. I did some investigating, and he had nothing to do with anything even remotely suspicious."

"Everyone has their secrets."

"Guess so," said Jenny. "But if he had, he took them with him. Whoever wanted Seo in another universe, they covered their tracks. With the mystery of the moved Earth. The wipe of Seo's memory wipe after her regeneration. The elimination of all witnesses on the scene. Even used the Crystallizer to their advantage — and that's difficult to do!"

"They left the gun," Dawn proposed.

Jenny and Boe looked back at her.

"I mean, isn't that kind of suspicious?" said Dawn. "They knew you'd pick it up. If they were trying to eliminate all witnesses…"

"Booby trap," Boe realized.

"Didn't think of that," Jenny muttered. Thrust the gun into a containment field, then began a series of scans on it. "You're good to have around, Dawn."

Dawn grinned.

Jenny glanced back. "Always wished I'd gotten to know you better," she admitted. "Seo was always talking about you. She… loved you a lot."

Dawn's grin fell away.

Hated being reminded of the fact that, to these people, she was dead. Had been for a long time. And, according to the Tenth Seo, hadn't even died well. Probably fighting something, if Dawn guessed right.

Jenny watched the results of the scan. "No booby traps," she said. "But I was right. It's designed to hook into her Key energies. Use them to transport her."

"Has to be someone who knows her pretty well, then," Boe put in. "Understands how she's created."

"And would be able to move a planet, wipe memories, control…" Jenny froze. Her face turning white. "Oh, no." She glanced back at her TARDIS. "It's _them,_ isn't it?"

Boe hesitated.

Dawn looked between the two of them. "Who?"

Boe shook his head, adamantly. "Can't be them," he told Jenny. "You shut down the gateway when this Seo craziness all started. That means they're all stuck outside the universe, just like they were after the War. With no way in."

"They'll find a way," Jenny countered. Stealing glances at her TARDIS. "I went to school there. I know how clever and dangerous they can be. And now that Seo's destabilized Dad's timeline — they'll be desperate. They'd rather kill her a thousand times than risk Dad not bringing them back."

"You're just as clever as they are," Boe reminded Jenny. "Maybe more so." He gave a small laugh. "And if they do find a way to come through… I'll gather up an army against them."

"Because 'As Boe says, so says the galaxy'," Jenny replied. She crossed her arms, facing him. "That's how the expression goes, isn't it?"

"And this galaxy will put up a fight to remember," Boe replied.

"You'd lose before you fired the first shot." Jenny rolled her eyes. "One day, Boe, you'll get such a swell head, it'll outgrow your body."

Boe put up his hands. "Hey, _I'm_ not the one with the God-complex."

Jenny cringed. The pain on her face palpable. As she turned away, and went back to her work analyzing the gun.

Dawn felt completely and utterly lost.

"There's an emotional amplification module in here, too," Jenny pointed out. Tracing her finger along the line of data that explained it. "One that'll work even on Seo. Shot by this… and she'll wind up in an agitated emotional state. One that can reopen any wound."

Boe absorbed this. "And… she's…"

"With Dad, yes," said Jenny. "While he's still alive. You can guess what'll happen." She took a long, deep sigh. "I always _wondered_ why she seemed so much more choked up about Dad in her Tenth incarnation. She hadn't been that bad since he actually died."

Dawn came over, tentatively. "So… that gun… triggers Key stuff, right?" she said. "I mean, I get that it also transports the person you shoot through to another universe and whatever, but… like, if you guys modified it… you could use me to bring back… the other…?"

Jenny looked up at her.

Dawn gave a hopeful smile.

Jenny sighed. Shook her head. "I appreciate it," she said. "Really, I do. But I'd rather not use you unless I absolutely have to. It could be dangerous."

"Well… how much danger is Seo in, staying in that other universe?" said Dawn.

Jenny and Boe met one another's eyes.

Neither wanted to answer that question.

"I get how this works," said Dawn. "You said Seo's incarnations got swept out of history. Like, none of this was supposed to happen. So it's all fair game — any of the past-incarnation-Seos could die, at any time, and Seo's whole history would change."

Once again, neither answered.

"And if she dies for good," said Dawn, "then massive paradox alert! Because the Tenth Seo never gets created, never screws with her own past, and they don't end up in that universe to die in the first place."

"Dawn…" said Jenny, softly.

"The Tenth Seo told me she blamed herself for my death," said Dawn. "Maybe this is how it's supposed to happen. Maybe… this is fate."

"Dawn," Jenny said, again. Her voice very quiet. "This isn't how it happened. This isn't when you die."

Dawn frowned.

"Trust me," said Jenny. "I know what happened. And whatever you're thinking… whatever Seo's told you… just… forget it! That's not… you can't…" She paused. Her face growing pained, horrified, as she turned away. As if remembering something she didn't want to. "She shouldn't have told you anything at all."

Seo had implied that Dawn had died horribly.

It wasn't something that Dawn really wanted to think about. In fact — it seriously freaked her out.

"Using Dawn, now, is definitely too much of a risk," Boe decided. "Both to Dawn, and to time itself. We have to do something to get Seo back that doesn't muddle the timelines. Dawn Summers only intersects with the First Seo, so we can't use her to get any of the others back."

Jenny went very still. Her eyes unfocused. "Timelines…"

Dawn noticed. Went over to her. "You okay?"

"Yes," said Jenny. Dismissed it with a wave. "Yes, I'm… fine. Just…" Her eyes fixed back onto the gun, in the containment field. "Maybe we _should_ bend the rules. Maybe… we've been looking at this the wrong way round."

"Jenny," said Boe. A look of concern falling over him. "Jenny. What's wrong? Talk to me."

Jenny turned to him. Her eyes snapping back into focus. "We've been so worried about using whatever the Ninth Seo did to get there," she said, "so we could get the others home safely. Without messing with the timelines. But what if that's not the answer? What if we should interfere _more_?"

"Jenny," Boe said, his voice very low.

"It's the question we should have been asking!" Jenny said, with a laugh. "Not how she got there. Not how she lost her memory. Not even how she died! No. Just how the Ninth Seo managed to get _back_!"

* * *

The Tenth Seo didn't look up at her tormentors. She didn't answer. Didn't speak. Didn't even move.

The body of Warko lay dead on the floor, where they'd killed him.

And neither of them cared.

"You still haven't answered our questions," they boomed.

Then sent another bolt of… something… running through her cell. Searing through her as if she were on fire, and couldn't even breathe enough to scream.

She panted, as the torment stopped.

"You claim that you're not Glorificus," said Chaos, pacing outside her cell. "Yet you sent your former selves to Urgoz Nutcolz. To the Army of Eternity in the Vptorian Galaxy. To the shores of Bvotin."

Still, she gave no answer.

Head hanging down, eyes fixed on the hard stone floor.

"Why those locations?" Chaos demanded. "How could you have known, if you were not Glorificus?"

Seo looked up. Eyes narrow and furious, teeth gritted.

"I'm going to destroy you," she warned.

The other two stepped back, just a bit. Bracing themselves.

When nothing happened to them, right away, they both looked at one another. And laughed.

The Tenth Seo leapt to her feet. "You killed Warko," she said, advancing towards them. "How dare you laugh?! How dare you ignore a life that you've snuffed out for no good—?!"

With a flick of their wrists, the torment began again. This time feeling like her body had been dunked in ice-cold water, and she couldn't kick to the surface.

"You lament that we killed the minion before it could die in _your_ name?" said Destruction.

The torment ceased.

Replaced by a surge of anger, coursing through Seo.

"I'm angry because you're murderers!" the Tenth Seo shouted, advancing forwards. "Sick, twisted, malicious murderers! Thinking about nothing except yourselves! You selfish—!"

She collided with the force-wall-looking thing, and was sent flying back.

Her head aching and throbbing with the collision. And the sounds of thousands upon thousands of empty screams.

"You scold us for our victories?" said Destruction. He pointed to the force-wall. "There are _yours_ , Glorificus. The wall is composed of the souls of your victims. They expected glory upon their deaths, honor in the afterlife. And found only torment, agony, and misery forever more."

Seo stared at the wall.

Yes. There _were_ faces in it. Faces that kept swimming to the surface, and those screams and cries and endless sounds of torment still echoing inside her head. Theirs.

She staggered forwards. "A wall of souls," she breathed, reaching out to it. "All killed by…" She stopped, just before impact. "I'm sorry," she begged the souls inside. "Please, forgive me."

This seemed to prompt even more laughter from the other two.

"This is funny?!" the Tenth Seo said. "Death? Torture? Senseless violence?!" She bunched her hands into fists. Shouted, "Just what about this is funny?!"

"It's you!" they both said, together.

"It was said you'd be the most powerful goddess across reality," said Destruction.

"Unique, indestructible, the most legendary and marvelous in the universe," Chaos agreed.

"And now… look at you!" cried Destruction. "The Goddess who slew half the universe! The Goddess who brought death to thousand upon thousand upon thousand! _Apologizing_!"

"With pity!" Chaos added. "Compassion!"

They both doubled up with laughter, again.

Seo put her hands on her hips. " _I_ didn't kill them, idiots," she said. "I'm apologizing because they don't deserve this. And if I find a way to help them, I will."

"Then it's true!" Destruction cried. "You have… _a soul_!"

They howled with laughter over this.

Hilarious!

The Tenth Seo tossed her hair back over her shoulders. Not shrinking away. "That a problem?"

"Oh, to see you stoop so low!" Chaos said. "When once, you were so high!"

"We should have taken our revenge upon her sooner," Destruction agreed. "Perhaps she'll… _forgive_ us… as we destroy her utterly."

"But you haven't destroyed me, yet, have you?" Seo pointed out. "Just a little torture. Nothing I can't handle. And I think I know why." She gave a small grin, counted on her fingers. "One. You're weak. Two. You don't know how to kill me without hurting yourselves. And three — and this is my favorite one…"

Her voice dropped to a menacing growl.

"…because you know _I'm_ the one who can destroy _you_ ," Seo said.

That stopped their laughter.

Completely.

"I am the God-Killer," the Tenth Seo said. "Guardian Angel of the universe. Defender of children. Savior of the innocent. I'm the sunlight that banishes the shadows, the name my enemies dare not speak, the restorer of hope and the defeater of evil." She stepped forwards, eyes narrowing. "I am Seosyrae, and — yes. I _am_ that dangerous."

The two said nothing. Took another step back.

"I could have forgiven the torture," the Tenth Seo said. "And the denial about my not being Glory." Her eyes drifted down to Warko's dead body. "But then you started killing innocents."

Her fists clenched.

She snapped her head up, to glare at them once more.

"And I can't stand by and let you do that," Seo said. "I won't. Not again!" Her anger built inside her, swelling until she found herself shouting out, "You won't kill any more! Not like you did on the Fields of Anzortia! Not like you did on Orcellorae! Not _one more victim!_ "

For a few moments, there was silence.

Then, from Destruction, "You still claim you aren't Glory?"

"I already said…!"

"Then how did you know about Anzortia?" said Chaos. "Orcellorae?"

"I…" the Tenth Seo began.

Then stopped.

As she realized… she didn't know.

"I'm not Glory," Seo repeated. "That doesn't make sense. I met Glory. Mom defeated her! Giles killed her. I can't be…!"

But she could hear the tortured souls in that wall crying out. Calling to their tormentor.

Calling to _her_.


	20. Chapter 20

The Third Seo _had_ to get out of there.

Right now.

She kept trying to bat away her other two selves, who were hauling her back and shouting at her that she'd get herself killed. But screw it! Did it look like she cared about getting shot? At least then, she'd have a _chance_!

If she met Glory… she'd have none.

None at all.

"Listen, we're all in the same situation," the Second Seo said, trying to calm her down. She had that really nice English accent, too, and that way of being able to mediate between extremes, and—

Did she have any idea how freakin' lucky she was?!

Why the hell had Second-Her been so stupid as to die and regenerate? Couldn't she have waited longer? Kept herself alive for longer?!

"We have to devise a strategy," the Second Seo continued. "For when we meet Glory. Some way she won't realize we're designed to—"

That was it.

Screw Little Miss Philosophy-And-Sweetness.

Third Seo was getting the hell out of here. Pronto.

Third Seo managed to elbow the guard, then snatch up his gun and plummet herself off the edge of the car. Rolling in the sand, trying to avoid stray shots. They were almost at the town, by now, and if anyone noticed her little secret, Third Seo knew she was dead. Dead as in really, seriously, properly _dead_.

Then she realized one of the cars had stopped.

And someone was getting out.

Okay, Seo. Time to leg it, girl!

She sped up. Dashed away fast as she could. Trying to get her ring to work — even though it wouldn't. Or just get away! But the sand was the wrong texture, seemed to both stick to her and suck her down below with every step. No, worse. She thought she could hear voices, within the sand. The wail of a thousand voices, all chorused together… screaming at her…

The man, his three-legs perfectly designed for this sand, caught her up easily. But he was unarmed.

Third Seo spun around, pointing the gun at him. Put on her best scary-face, and growled, "You don't want to take your chances with me."

The man took this in. Then decided, "It is an honor to die for my Goddess." And advanced towards her, ready to grab her back.

Third Seo darted out of his grip, but slipped and fell in the sand. "I'm not bluffing!" she warned. "I'll shoot!"

But he didn't seem to care.

Just wrestled her into a headlock, and disarmed her. Making it so she couldn't break free without doing this guy some serious harm — and no thank you, she wasn't that kind of Seo. Not now, not ever.

"You got lucky this time, punk," said Third Seo.

Sometimes, she wished she _were_ as mean as she seemed on the outside.

"It is said that legions of evil keep Glorificus from returning to us," said the man. "You three are that evil! You have prevented our Glorificus from returning to save us for a thousand years!"

The Third Seo froze.

"Wait, you mean… she's not there?" Third Seo checked.

"Glorificus promised our ancestors that she'd save us all," the man replied. "But the evil ones prevent her return. They brought the Great Plague down on us, and they seek to wipe us out. Only the truly devout will receive the blessing of Glorificus."

Now… this was starting to get interesting.

"Okay, okay! Slow up," said the Third Seo. "Great Plague?"

The man didn't seem all that interested in answering, though. Just began hauling her back. "Your trio of evil must be sacrificed upon the altar of Glorificus!" he said. "Only then shall she return! Only then shall she…!"

The Third Seo managed to struggle out of his grip. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" she said, flailing around and finally finding her footing on the sand. Held up her hands. "Look at me, here!"

"You will be—!"

"I said," the Third Seo hissed through her teeth, grabbing him up by the shirt and dragging him towards her, "just _look at me_."

And gave him her toothiest smile.

He did a double-take.

Then stared. Taking her in — for the first time. Looking past the dyed and flattened hair, past the black clothes and the overdone makeup. Past the alterations that Seo had made to her own appearance.

He looked at her.

And his mouth fell open.

"First time this wreck of a regeneration's ever actually been useful," the Third Seo muttered, setting him down gently on the sand.

Then had to catch him, before he fell over. She glanced back at the other two versions of herself, still perched in the car, looking out in surprise. They didn't get it. Wouldn't.

Lucky them.

"You…" said the man. "You… are…. You look like…"

"Yeah, I'd appreciate it if you kept that on the down-low, know what I mean?" said Third Seo. "I'm under cover. Don't want my two… friends over there… finding out. Secret mission and stuff."

She looked out at them, again.

Baby-her and Plato-her.

Yeah.

They'd both find out soon enough.


	21. The Story of the Third Seo

* * *

_Seo blamed the dress. First and foremost._

_Okay, actually, she blamed the whole regeneration. But the dress had to be the clincher. How had she not made that connection when she was drawn to it?_

_From the moment Seo had regenerated for the second time, the moment she'd emerged into her third body, she'd been drawn to bright things. Cheery things! Bright red dresses and silk scarves and stuff like that._

_Jenny hadn't seen anything wrong._

_"For the millionth time, you look fine," Jenny had muttered. "Now can we please get out of the wardrobe and back to our duties as STP?"_

_Seo squinted in the mirror. "But what do I look like?" she insisted. American accent, this time. "Come on! I wanna know!"_

_"You look different," said Jenny, grabbing Seo by the arm. "That's what regeneration does. Now let's get moving!"_

_Seo knew, of course, that she was blond. And more abrupt than in the past. She found herself way more prone to flying off into a rant when confronted with heartless idiots who sold out their planet for personal gain._

_"You selfish jerk!" Seo shouted at one such guy. "You twisted, stuck-up little freak! What the hell gives you the right to decide who lives and who dies?"_

_She barely restrained herself from punching him in the jaw._

_But aside from all that, Seo hadn't actually noticed anything was_ really _wrong with the regeneration until one fateful trip to Earth's past. When she'd saved a teenage girl from being eaten by a hell demon, without ever knowing that that girl happened to be the Slayer._

_The Slayer stared at her, eyes wide. "You… you ripped his head off," the Slayer breathed. "With your bare hands."_

_Seo looked down at her hands. Winced._

_"Look, I'm sorry," Seo tried. "It's this body — I just get really passionate this time around. I'm not always so… in control. Know what I mean?"_

_The Slayer didn't._

_"What are you?" the Slayer demanded, backing away. "And what do you mean, 'this body'?" The Slayer drew out a sword. "You're a demon, huh? Possessing humans and—"_

_"Oh, come on!" Seo shouted, irritated. Threw her hands up into the air. "I saved your friggin' life, here!" She pointed at herself. "Not the bad guy, Little Miss Ungrateful!"_

_But the Slayer was having none of it._

_And, of course, Seo wasn't about to hurt the girl she'd just saved from imminent death. How stupid would that be? So Seo took her best option, and just let the girl capture her and drag her away._

_Big mistake._

_The girl obviously didn't know Seo, but the girl's Watcher did. Recognized her right away. Warned the Watchers' Council._

_And so, Seo got to — yet again — catch up with the guys who'd made Mom's life hell, way back before Seo had ever been born._

_First time in this regeneration._

_"Since I've got a new face, I'll just remind you — I still don't like you," Seo informed them. "Just making that really clear. Right away."_

_She was being imprisoned in the Council's basement, in an iron-clad cell. It wasn't that hard to break out, of course, but there were a lot of people standing right outside, ready to attack her, and Seo didn't want to fight them. She could, of course — and if she did, she knew she'd win…_

_But they'd probably wind up pretty badly injured in the process._

_And how freakin' sucky a superhero would that make her? Beating up a bunch of guys who'd banded together to save the world?_

_She might be more aggressive this time around, but she was still Seo. And she didn't hurt anyone if she could help it._

_So Seo stayed put._

_It was a while before the head of the Watchers Council showed up, examining Seo by torch. She squinted, protesting as the friggin' moron waved the light right in her eyes, but he didn't listen. Just stepped back, satisfied._

_"This is her," declared the head Watcher._

_At which point everyone basically freaked, and the whole group started reciting all kinds of magic around her. Magic that, by the way, didn't actually seal Seo into her cell at all — just happened to give her one hell of a migraine._

_"Hey, do you mind?!" Seo snapped, hands on her head. "That is_ really _annoying!"_

_"It's working!" cried one of the Watchers. "Whatever she is, she can be restrained by magic."_

_Seo sighed. "Yeah, I'm not 'restrained', morons," she said. "It's called 'cooperating'. You know? Like that whole getting-along thing you learned in preschool?"_

_The Watchers all gave her blank stares._

_Seo shook her head, irritated. "Look, just… tell me what you want! I'll give it to you. And we can get out of here. Okay? I mean, it's not like we're on different sides."_

_This seemed to send the head Watcher into a rage._

_"You!" he spat, charging towards her. "You deserve to die! You deserve—"_

_"Yeah, thanks Mr. Anger Issues," said Seo, crossing her arms. "Actually, I just died about three weeks ago. So I'm thinking… no. Don't wanna do it, again."_

_The head Watcher's eyes narrowed. "You speak like us," he growled. "Try to blend in. But we know what you are. I saw what you did! I only want to know… why?!"_

_Seo was taken aback. "What… I did," she repeated. "When… I was looking like this."_

_Damn._

_That was the problem with being new to a regeneration. The only people who recognized you were the ones you hadn't actually met, yet._

_"Look, this is gonna sound weird, but I have no idea what you're talking about," Seo said. "But I'm guessing whatever you're stuck on, it was completely necessary, and ultimately for the good of—"_

_"You murdered an orphanage," said the Watcher._

_That threw Seo for a loop._

_For a second she just stared._

_Then: "What?!"_

_The Watchers didn't seem in too much of a rush to explain themselves._

_"No, whoa, wait, hold the phone!" Seo insisted. "I know myself. And that's something I'd never do."_

_Had to be an explanation. Had to! Seo wracked her brain for one._

_"Are you sure it was really me?" Seo tried. "I mean, could be I was the one trying to_ save _the kids, except it all went wrong, and I wound up wracked with grief and guilt and…" But Seo could see, from the looks on their faces, that this wasn't what had happened. "Or… maybe… something else?"_

_"What are you?" the head Watcher demanded. "Your pimpled minions called you Glory, but what glory is there in murdering children?"_

_And that was when the penny dropped._

_When Seo looked down at herself, saw the red dress, the tips of her own curly blond hair, recognized the voice and the accent and even just the way she moved, and realized…_

_Who she must have regenerated to look like._

_"Oh, my God," Seo breathed. "This isn't…! I mean, I had no idea I looked like…!" She stepped back, her hands up, placating. "Look, guys, I'm not Glory. Seriously. I guess I look like her… and sound like her…" She cringed. "Oh, God, I even have the temper-thing going on. Talk about a friggin' regeneration screw-up."_

_"What are you?!" the head Watcher shouted._

_"Your friend!" Seo shouted back. Stormed up to them. "Listen, jerks. If I really was Glory, you think I'd stay in here? No way! I'd have the powers of a hell goddess, and I'd use them! Punch through the iron doors, bust my way out of here, murdering you all and sucking out your brains, until I…"_

_She stopped._

_As she noticed the growing horror on the Council's faces._

_"Oh," Seo said, sucking in a sharp breath. "You guys… didn't actually know Glory was a hell goddess, yet. Huh?"_

_Yeah._

_Seo was gonna have a barrel of laughs getting out of this one._

* * *

_It took her a while before she got out of there._

_A long while, in which the Watchers Council probably learned more about Glory than they really should know. And a lot more about hell goddesses than they really should know._

_A long while which ended… with Seo's incredibly ingenious escape._

_And she really did_ try _not to hurt anyone. Honest! Even when they were going at her with everything lethal they had on them, hoping to see what weapons could kill a hell goddess, and Seo had to do something pretty desperate and insanely smart to get out of it… she'd still tried her hardest not to hurt them._

_But they were making that pretty impossible!_

_So… yeah. She'd hurt them. A little. But she'd apologized, hadn't she? That was just good manners. She'd said sorry, and tried to help them up to their feet, and even offered to find them some medical help._

_They were having none of it, though._

_And Seo basically had to pretend she was every bit as evil and ruthless as the real Glory, so she could bluff her way out. Then run for her life._

_That was the escape._

_It wasn't until Seo got back to the safety of her ship… that it all began to really sink in. Who she looked like, this time around. Who she acted like. Sounded like._

_She'd regenerated… to look like her worst enemy._

_Seo stood inside of Oliver for a very long time. Her hands tracing the contours of her own face. Trying to find some way it_ didn't _match the face she always saw in her nightmares. And failing._

_What could she do?_

_What was there left to do?_

* * *

_Jenny hadn't been able to work out why Seo did what she did, next._

_The change in Seo's appearance._

_"But you looked fine, before!" Jenny insisted. "And now you just look… black and depressing and… weird!"_

_Seo looked down at her black clothes. The bleakest clothing she could find, dreary and shabby — the sharpest contrast possible to Glory's opulence and red dresses._

_"What did you even do to your hair?" Jenny said._

_"I straightened it," said Seo. "And dyed it black."_

_"It doesn't look like you straightened it," Jenny countered. "It looks like you killed it, hung it up, and left it out to dry!"_

_Seo didn't love her new look. In fact, she hated it. It didn't match her current tastes at all._

_But that was kind of the point._

_Wasn't it?_


	22. Chapter 22

"I don't understand," the Second Seo kept saying, edging closer to Three, as they were driven back to the town. "What did you do to convince them?"

"Nothing!" Three shouted. Shoving her away. "Back off, will you? Geeze, ever heard of personal space?"

The First Seo came over and tried to help her next self. Reassure her. Great. So both of them thought their third incarnation was a total scumbag.

But it was that same scumbag who'd stopped them being sacrificed!

So that was something.

"Look, it's not as straight-forward as we thought," the Third Seo explained. "We're not going to meet Glory. Because there's no Glory left here to meet. The war's been over for, like, forever, now."

The First Seo looked around herself. Seemed to understand. "Glory disappeared, exiled to our universe, but no one ever told these people that they could stop fighting," she realized. Shook her head. "That's really sad."

"How many people did this world used to have?" Two asked.

"A butt-load, probably," Three guessed. Shrugged. "I dunno. But they keep thinking if they sacrifice enough people, Glory will come back."

The Second Seo pointed into the distance. "And the illness?"

The others looked where she was pointing and noticed it, too. Right away. Not the symptoms of the illness — the illness hadn't progressed far enough to have noticeable symptoms, yet. But the moment that little girl on the other side of the street coughed, everyone else rushed away from her. Made signs with their hands to ward off illness, and recited chants and spells.

That reaction — the fear, the horror, the inability to know how to cope…

This was the reaction to a mass plague.

"It's started again," said the guard who'd recognized the Third Seo as Glory, back out on the sands. He made a gesture with his hands. "Glorificus preserve us, the sickness has started again!"

"He mentioned something about that," the Third Seo told the others, nodding at her guard. "A… Great Plague that Glorificus was supposed to return and save them all from."

"The Great Plague," the guard agreed, turning back to them. "Sent by the emissaries of Chaos and Destruction! They sought to wipe us out, but then Glorificus arrived, in her glorious, wondrous brilliance. She gave us aid, gave us medicine and help. And in return, we loved her and made her our Goddess."

"Well, she obviously didn't cure it very well," the First Seo pointed out, "if you're still dying from it."

The guard looked back at the Third Seo, as if to assure her he still had faith. "She gave aid only to her most trusted followers. Her most devout, most worshipful—"

"She gave them a cure," Third Seo translated. "But not enough." Looked over at the guard. "So your whole world went to war, fighting over what little you had."

"A holy war," the guard corrected. "To prove our devotion to Glorificus."

Which meant Glory did it on purpose. Short changed them with the meds, to drive them guys into that war, deliberately. Get people dying in _Glory's_ name, instead of letting the people here die from something her enemies sent.

Yeah, if Glory hadn't already been dead, Seo would have hunted her down and beaten the living crap out of her for this.

Freakin' jerkface.

"But all this happened a thousand years ago," the Second Seo qualified. "Generations ago. Natural selection should have done its work by now. Weeded out anyone without an immunity." She gestured at the town around them. "So why are these people still getting sick?"

"Good point," said Third Seo. She frowned. "Very good."

"Maybe natural selection doesn't work the same in this universe as in ours," the First Seo put forwards. "If one of these other gods controls the entire element of 'Chaos'…"

"Or maybe there's something else." The Third Seo turned back to the guard. "Hey. Three-legged Goliath. What's up with the sacrifices?"

The guard seemed a little incredulous. "Don't _you_ know?"

Third Seo grimaced, glanced at the other two, uneasily. Then laughed it off. "Uh… yeah, of course. Definitely. Just… explain it for these two, here." Waving at her former selves. "They're dumb as rocks."

First Seo stuck out her tongue.

"It is the duty of all to sacrifice," the guard explained, "when a thousand prisoners have been captured. If her holiness, our only love and hope in this world, Glorificus, accepts our sacrifice, our village will be spared. If not… the sickness strikes again. In which case, we must capture more prisoners, to offer up another sacrifice."

"You mean you get sick, and immediately go to war?" the First Seo cried.

"Only the heathens are sick," said the guard. "Once we prove our faith through holy war, we will be cured."

Which meant, in short, that everyone on this planet was getting wiped out.

One way or another.

"Between the illness, the war, and the spacio-temporal wave of destruction caused by those sacrifices," said the Second Seo, "it's a wonder there's anyone left alive on this planet. A thousand years of genocide!"

"Two thousand," Third Seo corrected. "One thousand for the war, one thousand since."

"No, countless thousand," First Seo chimed in. She shrugged, as the others turned to her. "Well, it's pretty obvious. The word 'thousand' doesn't always actually mean one thousand exactly, in this universe. It's just the point at which people can't count anymore."

"That's what makes it the holy number," the guard agreed.

The other two Seos stared. Taking this in.

"I'm sorry?" said the Second Seo. "The point at which people can't count…?"

The First Seo turned, and pointed. In the distance, a group of villagers were collecting fruit. They dragged the last fruit into the gigantic pile, and it… reacted. Changed its shape and form, expelled energy and then mutated into a tree.

The Seos stared at this.

"All things must change their state past the holy number," said the guard. "That is the way of things."

"It's why they weren't surprised when I turned up out of nowhere in that arena," the First Seo explained. "Because the last few sacrifices always turn up out of nowhere — so there aren't more than a thousand people in the arena at a time. It's why all the towns in the distance — even the ruined ones — look so small."

"Because their population is always less than a thousand," the Third Seo realized.

"It has to be!" First Seo agreed. "Because according to the laws of this universe, one thousand of _anything_ , lumped together in a small enough space or period of time, causes a fundamental change."

"And if only the heathens are sacrificed, and only the heathens are the ones to get sick," Second Seo continued. "A thousand deaths, from a thousand plague carriers, all in a short period of time…"

"Would cause a massive distortion in space-time!" the Third Seo realized. "Causing the virus to mutate!"

"And thus spreading the infection all over again," the Second Seo agreed.

The guard seemed lost.

"It's a cycle," the Second Seo explained. "Don't you see? Glorificus and her fellow gods aren't making you sick. _You're_ doing it to _yourselves_."

The guard didn't want to accept it. Protested, vehemently, that it didn't make sense.

"It makes perfect sense, though," the Second Seo explained. "There's a sacrifice. The sacrifice causes the virus to mutate, infecting the nearest settlement with the disease. The diseased population, in desperation, decide the best thing to do is hold another sacrifice."

"To do this, they need to launch another holy war," Third Seo continued. "Get up their prisoner count. That spreads the mutated virus. Thus, across the world, the next wave of wars break out, until the virus has worked its way through. The last diseased people are gathered together and sacrificed…"

"Which causes the next mutation to happen!" First Seo said. "And the whole thing starts again! A sickness and a holy war that never stop, because one always keeps the other going."

The three Seos all looked at each other.

Clearly all very pleased with their own brilliance.

The guard still seemed very lost and confused, though. "But how will we stop the spread of sickness from causing the destruction of our world, if not through holy war?"

Third Seo held out two fingers. "Two easy steps," she said. Held out the first finger. "Number one. _Stop the fighting and sacrifices!_ "

The guard opened his mouth to protest, but Third Seo cut him off.

"Nu-uh-uh!" Third Seo shouted. "Not hearing it! Not buying it! No excuses, no protests, no cheats or underhandedness. Just _stop them_!"

"The war with Glory is long over, anyways," the First Seo added. "There's nothing left to fight for."

"And second," said the Third Seo, holding out two fingers. She grinned. "You need a cure for a disease that keeps mutating?" She glanced at Two, and the two grinned. "Easy, right?"

"Don't wind up part of STP without knowing something about biological warfare," Second Seo agreed.

"That means you've got a group of geniuses who can make you guys a cure," Three told her guard. "And this time… I promise… there'll be more than enough to go around."


	23. Chapter 23

The Fourth Seo opened her eyes.

Jumped to her feet, instantly snapping into battle readiness.

Context?

Right. Other universe. Mysterious battleship. Self-destruct. Four checked her face. Still the same Seo. So no regeneration. Still alive, still in space, still on a battleship.

Battleship looked different, though.

Old. Worn out. Not recognizable.

"Matter transference beam?" Fourth Seo muttered. Could be ones of those that picked her up, in this universe. But no. She shook her head. "Vibration in the floor feels the same. Same ship. Just looks different."

The other two groaned, as they got up, not far away.

Both immediately feeling their faces.

"We didn't die," Fifth Seo pointed out.

"Hallelujah," Six muttered, trying to comb back her short blond hair. "If I'd regenerated, it'd be hell to explain to the babysitter."

Five flip-jumped to her feet. "Can't believe we become a Mom," she muttered, straightening her jacket. Then noticed the area around them, and grinned. "Hey, look at that! Still in the control room!"

"We're moving," Chibi noted.

Five raced over to the control banks, poking and prodding and trying to work out how to make the computer actually work. She hissed in frustration, then grabbed up the paneling of the machinery and jerked it away, to expose the wiring beneath.

"Well, that didn't help," she muttered.

Sixth Seo reflected. "She's right. We _are_ moving," Six said. Came over to the control panels. "Quite fast." She tapped something, then frowned deeper. "Is that a life-sign reader?"

"Hope not," said Five. "Because if so, that means this…" punching some buttons, "…used to be the total life signs. And this…" punching more, "is the life signs now."

"Zero."

"On the nail."

Four, having checked the perimeter for hostile forces, now came over to the control panels. Squinting. "It's the distortion, isn't it?" Four said. "The 'Glorious Sacrifice'. We saw what it did on that world with the plague…"

"Urgoz Nutcolz," Five recalled.

"And that was just a thousand," said the Fourth Seo. She pointed towards the hull. "We're traveling around this galaxy with ten times that many! Imagine ten times that, all committing suicide together!"

Six thought this through. Then began poking at buttons, herself.

"What are you—?" Five asked.

"Trying to work out the total mass of this wreck of a battle fleet," said the Sixth Seo. She stepped back, analyzing the number. "Thought so. About equivalent to a small planet."

"You think that'll make a difference?" Four asked.

Five shrugged. "Depends on how this galaxy's structured. And we don't have any idea how galaxies work in this universe."

"We can make a pretty good guess, though," said the Sixth Seo. She leaned against the machinery. "A bunch of clusters of star systems whose mass totals about the equivalent of… 999 times that of this space fleet?"

For a few moments, none of them said anything.

"The presence of this fleet takes the total mass up to a thousand, then," Four said. "Causing the properties of space to change."

"And that's when everyone here goes Harry Carry," Five agreed. "Right when space and time are twisting around, anyways. One extra blast of energy, and… fzt! Gone. Everyone in the whole star system dies."

They looked at one another.

Shuddered.

"Only one way to deal with this," Six decided. "Someone's creating life simply to destroy it. Creating it from whatever blueprint they happen to have on-hand."

"Including our minds," Five agreed.

"We need to find this someone, get them out in the open, and confront them," the Sixth Seo said. "Make sure they stop. Because harming people and causing injustice is a terrible thing to do, and it's our responsibility as space-time travelers to…" She paused. Then grimaced. "Sorry. I've been practicing that speech for Chiara."

"We guessed," muttered Five, kicking a bit of machinery with her foot. "Mom-Seo."

"Only problem is… how to provoke them into a confrontation?" Sixth Seo continued.

Four grinned. Then grabbed up a huge metallic pipe, lying on the ground, raced towards the machinery. And slammed it down, hard.

The machinery sparked and sputtered.

Five and Six cried out, tried to wrestle Four away. "What are you doing?" Six snapped.

"You could cut off life support!" Five agreed. "Kill us all!"

But they couldn't keep hold of her. Nope! One of the advantages of being small and child-like, in this regeneration — Seo could always wiggle her way out of a tight spot.

So she did!

And hit the machines, again!

"I usually find," said the Fourth Seo, with the clunk of pipe hitting machinery, "that the best way to make people come out and face you," thwack! "is to destroy stuff…" bam! "until someone notices."

The shape appeared behind them.

Half-formed, a mound of goo that didn't even really resemble a body. It kept trying to resolve itself into a shape, as it lumbered forwards. But couldn't quite find the energy to keep its shape stable.

It grabbed out to stop Four.

But the Fifth and Sixth Seos were on it at once. Expertly tackling it to the ground, restraining it, and making sure it couldn't interfere.

"So. Not got the energy to make something that sticks, huh?" Sixth Seo guessed, calling into the air. "Think you can spare the energy to make another goon to stop us? Or should I just let Chibi over there continue bashing up your equipment?"

For a few seconds, silence.

Then, as if trailing on the wind, a voice, "Transportation still in progress."

"Transportation?" said Five. She jumped to her feet. "You mean genocide. Yeah, that's right! I said it! You're using this fleet to wipe out a whole galaxy, and if you think I'm just gonna sit back while my people are oppressed and snuffed out of existence…!"

" _Your_ people?" said the Fourth Seo.

Five thumped her fist against her chest. "Anyone who's oppressed is my people. I don't ever let them down."

The wind rushed by them, once again. This time whispering, "We must not fail. The life that has begun, when we were finishing our task the last time, must be wiped out anew. All must fall, so this galaxy becomes the realm of Glorificus."

There was utter silence, for a few moments.

As this sunk in.

"The _last time_?!" the Sixth Seo shouted. "How many times have you wiped out this galaxy?!"

"The war's been over for ages, hasn't it?" Fifth Seo guessed. "You just never stopped fighting. Urgoz Nutcolz on a galaxy-wide scale!"

"Just who do you lot think you are?" Four demanded.

The wind rushed, again. "We are the Eternal Army. We fight for the honor of Glorificus. We create and destroy life in her holy name."

"And how long's it been since you got a postcard from your Glorificus?" the Fifth Seo asked. "Or has she been giving you the cold shoulder?"

A pause.

"A thousand years," the wind said.

"A real thousand?" Four asked. "Or is that just your way of saying you don't know?"

"The Vptorian Galaxy is the largest and most populous in this dimensional plane," the Eternal Army replied. "We must destroy all life except that approved by Glorificus. We must destroy everything unless stopped by Glorificus. That is all we know."

The doors burst open, and suddenly, a group of half-formed creatures swarmed into the room. The Seos all backed up, together, staring out at the group in front of them.

Too many to take on at once.

"We have nearly arrived," said the Eternal Army.

The space ship began to waver around them. Transforming itself as well as its newly created population. As it did so, as the walls began to solidify and the command deck turned into that of a Draconian Battle Ship, the whole thing shook, and an explosion came from the back.

"It's not the engines," Four realized. "That was just an illusion. What exploded was another part of the Eternal Army's machinery. This stuff is so old, it's wearing down."

"Which part?" said Six. "I didn't notice anything wrong."

The Fifth Seo suddenly broke into a grin. Grabbed the other two. "We need to make mental contact with each other," she said. "All gotta be thinking the same thing, or it won't work."

"And what makes you in charge of…?" Four demanded.

"Because I'm the Cool Seo," said Five. "Now let's do this thing!"


	24. The Story of the Fourth Seo

_A lot of people accused STP of starting the Trothanian War._

_The Shadow Proclamation certainly did._

* * *

_The Third Jenny materialized her TARDIS on a planet's surface and raced outside — tracker in hand._

_"What's another five minutes to the Time Lords, anyways?" Jenny muttered, shaking the tracker and following the blinking light. "It's not like they've got anything important for me to do, there. It's probably just Ulivontora asking me what size hat to wear to Winter Festival: big or gigantic." She hit the side of the tracker, then pivoted to her right, and headed off, again. "And they can't fault me for being curious about an anachronistic energy reading on a class 2 planet. I mean, what kind of Time Lady would I be if I didn't investigate...? Ah-ha!"_

_She stooped down, as the tracker found its target._

_A small, definitely technologically advanced capsule, about the size of her thumb._

_"Now, what are you?" Jenny asked, picking it up. "Who left you here? And what... oh!"_

_The whole thing had suddenly lit up into a dazzling array of lights and colors, as if activated by Jenny's touch._

_"Looks like I activated you, whatever you are." Jenny stepped back, hesitantly. "Probably a weapon. Bomb, even." Then spun on her heels, and ran, fast as she could, back to her TARDIS. "Temporal grace circuits, I need you now!"_

_She never made it back._

_Before the device went off._

_And in a streak of silver light, Jenny was gone._

* * *

_"You should have seen me," Jack was explaining to the group at the bar. "On a battle cruiser. Alarms blazing. Whole thing about to go up. And completely naked."_

_One of the girls gave an approving whistle._

_"Hey," said Jack, pointing at her. He winked. "You and I gotta get together, sometime, cutie."_

_Titters from the crowd._

_"So, as I was saying," Jack continued. "Completely naked. Alarms going off. I look out the window, and there's this great big space octopus rushing towards us, so I take one look at those tentacles, and say..."_

_Jack trailed off._

_His cheer falling away._

_As he saw a familiar face, at the back of the bar._

_"Excuse me," he said, getting up. He waved the people away, as they tried to follow. Telling them it was private business — no on-lookers._

_He knew the drill._

_He'd done it often enough._

_The woman gave him a devious smile, then disappeared out the bar._

_Jack knew where to meet her._

_They had a pattern, by now._

_"Vienna Salvatori," Jack said, when he found her. He stopped, great-coat flapping around him. "You know, I'm starting to think you stole that time-ship just to follow me."_

_"You're the gift that keeps on giving," Vienna replied. She laughed. "You've got no idea how much I've wracked in from killing you. There are a lot of people who'll pay good money to see you dead."_

_"Hey, it's been tried," Jack replied._

_This was a game they'd been playing for a while, now. The nearest thing Jack had done to a con since meeting the Doctor and Rose._

_Vienna was a trained assassin._

_She'd get a kill order on him — from someone who thought he could actually die. She'd find him. Shoot him. Drag in his body._

_And when he came back to life, he'd be in the perfect position to deal with whatever malevolent force wanted him dead in the first place._

_Vienna got the money. Jack got to use it to take down some old enemies of his that he'd never actually managed to destroy._

_Win-win._

_"So who wants me dead this time?" Jack asked. Then sighed. "Oh, don't tell me it was that Garglian gangster! Great looker, but awful breath."_

_Vienna charged up her gun. "Actually, this time, they want you alive."_

_Shot him, squarely, in the chest._

_So he keeled over, and died._

_"But that's what I like about you," said Vienna. "Even when you're wanted alive, I still get to feel like I did a job."  
_

* * *

_The Third Seo, black hair, dark eye shadow, black clothes, was laughing as she ran back up the hill, and burst through the door to the bunker to high-five her friends._

_"Good news!" Seo cried. "Just turned basically all the oversized dinner plates into bits of dinner-plate dust, and..."_

_Seo stumbled to a halt._

_There, waiting for her, were her friends, Andrea and Ben Fisher, surrounded by a troop of oversized rhinos. Judoon, Seo knew._

_"We're sorry," said Andrea. "They came out of nowhere"_

_"What are they?" said Ben. "They're like... rhinos!"_

_"The Shadow Proclamation's thugs," Seo muttered. Stepping forwards, slowly. "The Sundunes or whatever."_

_"Judoon," said one of the rhinos._

_"I said WHATEVER," Seo shouted. "You hear that, Mr. I'm-So-Important? 'Whatever'! That means I don't give a damn about you. Your name. Your pathetic little life. Or anything you've got to say. You know why?" She gave a small grin. "Because you're all Shadow Proclamation lapdogs, and we haven't done anything wrong. Which means you can't hurt us."_

_"You have trespassed," the rhinos reported. "This planet is property of IMC Mining. You did not have permission to land."_

_"We just saved IMC Mining," Ben insisted. "And the whole planet! And those cactus things that were actually super-intelligent."_

_"Yeah, if you asked those IMC guys now if they're okay with us having landed here, they'd say yes!" Andrea put in._

_"You were not cleared to land when you arrived," the rhinos reported. "That is a criminal offense. The punishment is death."_

_Andrea and Ben both started protesting, as everyone in there began shouting at each other._

_Seo stepped forwards, waving her hands. "Okay, everyone just friggin' SHUT UP!"_

_They quieted._

_"You Judoon jerks wouldn't have shown up in full force for a simple trespass case," said Seo. "And IMC would have called in their private security forces, not you. Which means you guys didn't really come here for trespass stuff. What's this really about?"_

_The rhinos turned to her._

_"You are Seosyrae Summers," said one of the rhinos. "Verify identity."_

_Seo stopped advancing forwards._

_They were looking for her, specifically. Taking her friends hostage to ensure her cooperation._

_That was a bad sign._

_"Yeah, I am. What's it to you?" said Seo, a little guarded._

_"Sentence upon the others will be spared," said the rhino, "if you surrender to face justice at the Shadow Proclamation."_

_Seo stared. "Face justice at...?" She shook her head. "What's this about? And if you say something stupid like 'jaywalking' or 'rolling a stop-sign', I'll deck you."_

_"Hostile acts of targeted terrorism," said the rhino, "designed to spark an intergalactic war."_

_Seo stared._

_"What?!" she shouted._

_"Justice must be served," the rhinos told her. "Your submission to a fair trial will pardon Ben and Andrea Fisher."_

_"Yeah, okay, okay, trial-me, then!" Seo said. Trying to wrack her brain to figure out what the hell they were talking about._

_Unfortunately, while she could think of tons of people who wanted to thump her, she really hadn't thought the Shadow Proclamation did. She'd actually_ helped _them, in the past!_

_So much for gratefulness._

_"Just... Andrea and Ben," said Seo. "They're from Denver, Earth, 2148. Different planet. Different year!" She shrugged. "Let me drop them off, first, and I'll..."_

_Seo stopped, as it became pretty clear that the Judoon didn't find that acceptable._

_"We expected tricks from you," the Judoon told her. "There is precedent."_

_Seo thought of her previous encounters with the Judoon._

_Had to concede the point._

_"Let me get program my ship," Seo said. "I don't even have to go inside. You can watch me the whole time. K?"_

_So they did._

_And while Seo kept waiting for them to give her a chance to make her move and escape with her friends... they never did._

_Like they'd been specially trained with every possible trick and trap that she could pull!_

_They didn't even let her inside her ship — just made her reprogram it telepathically, from the outside._

_And as if that wasn't bad enough..._

_"No!" Ben insisted. "We won't go. Whatever you want her for... we're coming, too."_

_"Yeah," said Andrea. "We stick together."_

_Seo wanted to punch something._

_"Look, either you guys get in there, right now," Seo told them, pointing at her ship, "or I'll beat you up, drag you in there, and send you back, myself."_

_"You liar!" Andrea accused._

_Seo looked around herself at the Judoon. Whatever they wanted her for, she needed to be alone. No way was she ever going to get out of this when they could just threaten her buds and get her to do whatever they wanted._

_So Seo followed through on her threat._

_And punched her friends' lights out._

_"Hey, gentle with them!" Seo shouted, as the Judoon dragged them inside the ship. "They're people, not sacks of potatoes!"_

_"Which button?" the Judoon by the console demanded._

_"It's..." Seo paused._

_Swallowed._

_Then, in a lower voice, "Third on the left."_

_She had to watch as her Oliver left without her. Had to hope, beyond hope, that she'd see it again._

_Then turned to her captors._

_"Okay, you got me," said Seo. Put her hands behind her head, in typical prisoner fashion. "Now tell me what the hell is going on!"_

* * *

_The Third Seo sat in a cell. Her arms folded, glaring at nothing. Waiting for someone to give her an explanation._

_Seconds later, the door opened._

_And Jenny was shoved inside, nearly hitting the floor, but catching herself just in time. She glanced back over her shoulder, as the cell clanged shut. "You'll be hearing from the Time Lord High Council about this! Mark my words!"_

_"So, no one's coming for you, either, huh?" said Seo._

_Jenny sighed her agreement._

_Then picked at the orange jump-suit they'd attired her in. "Are these prison clothes?" Jenny asked. "Isn't that a little proactive, assuming we'll become prisoners? What happened to due process of law? Guilty until proven innocent?!"_

_"They're clothes without pockets," said Seo, "where nothing's bigger on the inside or whatever other crap they thought we might pull."_

_Jenny sat on the bench beside Seo._

_For a moment, they just waited, in silence._

_"So… are we escaping?" Jenny asked. "Or sticking around to figure out what this is all about?"_

_Seo shrugged. "Might not even need to escape," she said. "I mean, as long as we're not being tried by_ your _people, there's a chance we might actually get a fair trial."_

_Jenny crossed her arms. "I think I'm supposed to be offended by that."_

_"True, though. Time Jerks."_

_Jenny opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by the sound of the door creaking and clanging, as the lock disengaged._

_They both watched as Jack was thrown in._

_"Then again," Seo muttered. "Maybe we'll be needing an escape after all."_

_"Hello, Jack," said Jenny, dully. "Fancy seeing you in a prison like this."_

_"I always told your dad I'd take you two to the nicest places," Jack replied. He got to his feet, dusted himself off. "Now. Either of you want to tell me why we're on trial for starting some kind of war?!"_

_Seo and Jenny looked at each other._

_Then back at Jack._

_"Oh, no," said Jack. Recognizing the look. "You're going to make us stay and actually go on trial, so we can figure it out, huh?"_


	25. The Story of the 4th Seo, II

_"This tribunal is now in session," said the Shadow Architect, banging her gavel upon the podium. "We are here today to try the defendants gathered in this courtroom — who've been charged with perpetration of specific acts of targeted terrorism with malicious intent to start a war."_

_"Objection!" Jenny cried. "If I'd done that, I'd be on trial with my own people, not you!"_

_"Until the CIA bribed the High Council to keep it hush-hush, pardoned you, then used the situation to their advantage to drastically and immorally alter history," Seo muttered, beneath her breath._

_Jenny rounded on her. Glaring._

_"I mean... political corruption on Gallifrey?" Seo asked, feigning innocence. "Never heard of it! Perish the thought."_

_"Objection overruled," the Shadow Architect cut in, before this could go any further. "This is an intergalactic court, following intergalactic crimes that violate the laws of space. Any temporal matters above and beyond that I'll be happy to let your own people handle." She cleared her throat. "Now. May the defendants stand forth."_

_They stood forth._

_"Jenny, Time Lady of Gallifrey," the Shadow Architect announced, "Jack Harkness, human, of..." She frowned. Squinting at her records. "...Earth."_

_Jack shrugged, flashing her a dashing grin._

_"And... Seosyrae Summers," the Shadow Architect concluded, "of Earth, who is on record as claiming her species designation is 'Part-Everything'."_

_Seo nodded._

_"You are hereby charged with the aforementioned crime. How do you plea?"_

_They looked at one another. Then back at the Shadow Architect._

_"Not guilty!" they cried, together._

_"Don't we even get a lawyer or whatever?" Seo demanded. "How about a jury of one's peers?" She gestured at the jury, which were mostly Judoon, along with a few other aliens Seo had seen floating around here, before. "These 'jurors' are just Shadow Proclamation guys you had hanging around!"_

_The Shadow Architect banged her gavel against the stand._

_"This is an emergency trial," the Shadow Architect replied, acidly. "Following the attacks on Kylinda and Peroz, and the depopulation of the Arewo Outpost, all available resources at the Shadow Proclamation are being geared up for war. We cannot spare—"_

_"So you really are at war," Jack realized. "You weren't kidding about this."_

_The Shadow Architect stood in place. Thunderous. "Does it look like I'm kidding?!"_

_They all went quiet._

_"Prosecution," the Shadow Architect said, sitting back down. Her face still stony and bitterly angry. "Present your evidence."_

_The prosecution stepped forwards, and did so._

_Seo, Jack, and Jenny all stared, as they saw the transmission projected in front of them. An unknown alien species, with three heads on necks that looked like thorny rose bushes, their bodies deathly thin with bulbous hands, appeared before them._

_"To all the worlds in this galactic sector," the alien said. "We are the Trothanians. Surrender your resources to us, or we will take them by force."_

_Trothanians…?_

_Jack and Seo both turned to Jenny, in unison._

_Waiting for her to explain "Trothanians"._

_"What are you looking at me for?" Jenny protested, raising up her hands. "I don't know everything about everything! I'm just..." She paused. Dropped her hands, her face bending into thought. "No, actually, hang on. Trothanians. I've heard of them."_

_Seo elbowed Jack. "Told you her Time Lady name should have been 'the Braniac.'"_

_"Trothanians," Jenny repeated, recalling what she knew. "Yes, in this century, they'd be a great big empire, not all that far from here. Rather interesting biology. They share traits with both oxygen breathers and nitrosyl chloride breathers. Which makes them practically immune to any consequences of smoking or cigarettes. But does cause certain oddities in their system when mixed with certain chemicals found in humanoid..."_

_Jenny stopped._

_Her face going pale._

_"...humanoid children," Jenny whispered._

_The horrible truth began to sink in. To all of them. All at once._

_They'd known the economics of the situation hadn't made sense. All those kids being abducted from across the galaxy, all those different Radiowave Bullies out collecting them, all those shipments of drugs — they had to be going somewhere. Somewhere big, with vast quantities of people depending on those drugs. Somewhere where the economy centered around drug importation._

_The Trothanian Empire._

_Looked like... even though STP had mopped up nearly all the Radiowave Bullies, the Trothanians still wanted their drugs. And would wage a war to get them._

_Then the Trothanian on the recording added, with definite savagery in his voice, "And we demand the destruction of Jack Harkness!"_

_The recording flickered out._

_"Vienna, why didn't you take_ that _one?" Jack muttered. "Much better kill."_

_"Your honor, as you can see — even from this court proceeding," the prosecution continued, "these three individuals, who operate under the guise of STP, do not take things seriously! They wander around the universe like a bunch of teenagers, causing mayhem without any care about the severity of their—"_

_"Whoa, wait a second!" Seo cut in. "Are you seriously trying to argue that we_ shouldn't _have saved innocent kids from being turned into drugs?!"_

_"When doing so provokes a war that could wipe out every single world in this galactic sector, then yes!" the prosecution insisted._

_Jenny looked a little stunned._

_Jack stepped forwards, in front of the two sisters._

_"I'm in charge," Jack said. "And I'm telling you — STP is no laughing matter. It's a mission. To save kids, to save worlds, to save planets who can't defend themselves. We take it very seriously."_

_"Children from primitive planets," the prosecution qualified. "Children whose highest education would have amounted to... to... banging rocks together!"_

_"I'll bang a rock into your head if you don't shut up," Seo retorted._

_"Those children would never have amounted to anything!" the prosecution insisted. "They'd never have given anything back to the universe. And now children on space-faring worlds, important children, are being taken instead! Just because these three... terrorists... saved those worthless...!"_

_"Your honor, in terms of temporal analysis," Jenny cut in, "the prosecution's speaking rubbish."_

_"Temporal law has no place here, Time Lady," the Shadow Architect replied._

_"It does when you're arguing about long-term consequences of sacrificing children!" Jenny snapped. "Anyone who knows anything about temporal mechanics can tell you that whether the child is rich or poor, or from a primitive world or a space-faring power, that child could still be significant enough to the overall Web of Time, to the point where—"_

_Seo elbowed her sister in the ribs. "Save your breath," she said. Gesturing at the jury, who looked bored. "They don't care."_

_Jenny turned._

_Saw that Seo was right._

_And nearly screamed, in frustration._

_"This is ridiculous!" Jenny shrieked. "Shadow Proclamation or no, I demand to be tried by someone who actually understands the temporal dynamics of this situation!"_

_"No," said the Shadow Architect._

_"Why not?" Jenny insisted. "Why won't you just listen to reason, and—"_

_"Because they all want our heads on spikes, of course," Seo answered. She gestured at the Shadow Architect. "I mean, look at her! She's freaking out. These Shadow Proc guys think the only hope they have of averting a war is our execution. The trial's a sham."_

_The Shadow Architect was a little too slow to object._

_The prosecution coughed, and looked away._

_The jurors all fidgeted._

_"It's not gonna work, you know, Jury Guys," Seo continued, swinging around to address the jury. "These Trothanians are on massive withdrawal, and we've just cut off their supply. They're waging a war to get their fix, and they're not leaving until they have it."_

_"She's right," Jack agreed. "And if the Trothanians coming for the kids — we're your only chance."_

_The prosecution stepped forwards. "On the contrary," he replied, "STP is the last group we should be asking for help. They caused this war without thinking of the long-term effects this might have upon our galactic sector, over time—"_

_Jenny threw her arms into the air._

_"Oh, for goodness sakes!" Jenny shouted. "'Over time'?! What part of the term 'Time Lady' didn't you understand?!"_

_"—and they have had some spectacular failures, even on the planets they claim to have 'helped'." The prosecution tapped a button, and his next evidence popped up in the air. 3D images of Erichon, Hershap, Lingsfor. "The planets of Erichon, Hershap, and Lingsfor. Their populations all destroyed. Not a soul left alive. Because of STP's interference."_

_Jenny lowered her arms._

_Seo shuffled her feet._

_They both remembered those worlds. Jenny had died on one of them. All of STP might rejoice over their victories, but they still felt their failures very strongly._

_"STP claims it helps save children," the prosecution explained, "but it is no more than a terrorist organization, designed to destroy the lives of everyone worthwhile in this galactic sector."_

_"Better let them take the poorer children," Jack added, "the less fortunate, the ones who don't matter — rather than_ ours _." He shook his head. "Will you people never learn?!"_

_"We've heard this spiel a thousand times before," Jenny agreed._

_"On every planet where the Radiowave Bullies attack," Seo said. "Almost word-for-word."_

_"And it never works," Jack concluded. "They take some children now. But they're always back for more. You can't appease them."_

_"When the alternative is war…!" the Shadow Architect began._

_Jack strode forwards, his eyes dark and level. "Tell me this, Shadow Architect. Have you ever seen a world when it's ripped apart by these monsters? You ever seen armies beating down desperate mothers, so they couldn't rescue their kids? You ever seen a man shoot his family rather than surrender his children to a fate worse than death? You ever seen soldiers clubbing kids in the head, trying to get them to cooperate, so they can be sentenced to hell?" Jack stopped. His eyes fixed on the Shadow Architect. "Because I have. And I dare you to see that and not try to stop it."_

_They were cut off by the entire building shaking, violently. The lights flickering, the boom sound resounding across the courtroom._

_"Outer perimeter!" the Shadow Architect cried. "Report!"_

_A Judoon's voice flooded through the air, shouting a situation update in coarse Judoon through the speakers._

_"Bombardment has started," Jenny whispered to Jack. "Looks like the Trothanians found out a certain Jack Harkness was here, and came to find you."_

_"I'm everyone's favorite guy, today," Jack muttered back._

_The Shadow Architect banged her gavel, through the flickering lights. "We've wasted too much time! Jurors, cast your votes."_

_It took them all of about two seconds._

_Probably scared for their lives._

_"The votes are unanimous," the Shadow Architect said. "Jenny of the Time Lords, Jack of the Humans, Seosyrae of... Whatever-You-Are..."_

_Another boom, and the room shook even more. The lights flickering._

_The Shadow Architect shouted to be heard over it. "This tribunal hereby sentences you to summary execution. No chance of appeal. To be carried out immediate—"_

_The lights stabilized._

_And everyone looked around themselves._

_Seo, Jack, and Jenny had disappeared. As if they'd never been there at all._

_"They've escaped!" shouted the prosecution._

_"Then don't just stand there!" the Shadow Architect cried. "Find them and execute them. It's our only chance of averting a war!"_

_The jurors all charged up the guns they had concealed._

_And raced out of the court room, to chase down the escapees._

* * *

_"Hate to break it to you guys," said Seo, as they raced along the corridors, "but I sent Oliver back in time to drop off some friends."_

_"And my TARDIS is light years from here," Jenny agreed. "But Jack's VM should be in an evidence bin somewhere nearby. We can use that to get to my TARDIS. Then—"_

_"Then we regroup," Jack cut in. "Fight back. Whatever's going on, here, we got these people into it. We gotta get them out, again."_

_"Yeah, but that only works if we can..." Seo began._

_They all fell silent, as they caught sight of the Judoon up ahead, and skidded to a stop._

_Turned back, and saw that, behind them, the disperse alien species of the jury, all armed to the teeth, were still pursuing them in the opposite direction._

_"We really are popular today," Jenny muttered._

_Seo spun to her right, grabbed the nearest door, and forcibly shoved it open. She waved the others inside, then slammed it shut, Jack helping her shove items up against it, to form a barricade._

_"Equipment!" Jenny cried, racing over to it. She began frantically trying to disassemble it and reassemble it. "If I can rig it up to trigger just the right psychic frequency, I can summon my ship! Then we can...!"_

_The barricade gave way._

_Seo and Jack tumbling to the ground, under the force of twenty Judoon and numerous other species._

_They were trapped._

_"Change of plans," Jenny muttered._

_Jack sprung back to his feet, raising up his hands. "It's okay," he said. "We surrender."_

_The Shadow Proclamation looked at one another._

_Then fired, all at once._

_Three bodies fell to the ground. Dead._

_As the bombardment continued._

* * *

_Jack gasped back into life._

_Looked around himself, through the emergency lighting. He could hear a woman's voice counting down to total destruction of this facility — in under a minute, sounded like._

_Beside him, the bodies of Seo and Jenny._

_Still dead._

_"No," Jack said. He felt their skin. Cold. The Shadow Proclamation had known Jenny was a Time Lady. Had they stopped the regeneration process? Would these two ever wake up?_

_The whole building shook, again._

_And Jack decided he didn't have time to take chances._

_He raced out the door, down to the area they'd been heading to, originally. Where they'd stashed his VM._

_He forced his way into the room, shoving and tearing at the door until it gave._

_Then shuffled through the evidence bins, one after another, looking, looking, searching for..._

_There!_

_VM!_

_He grabbed it._

_Then dashed back to Seo and Jenny. Their bodies still lying there, on the floor. Took both their hands in his, and placed them on the Vortex Manipulator._

_"Gotta be something I can do," Jack said._

_As he pushed the button, and they all disappeared._

_Just before the Shadow Proclamation exploded._


	26. The Story of the 4th Seo, III

_Jack didn't know exactly why, but after he arrived on this new planet — after traveling through the vortex — something changed about Seo and Jenny. Not a regeneration, but… just the faintest hint of a glow. As if something were trying to happen, but just couldn't find enough life left in the two girls to get started._

_Life..._

_"I dunno if the Shadow Proclamation screwed up the kill," Jack said, rolling up his sleeves, "or if one of you two did something clever, to allow you to survive their shots, but..." He leaned down. "If it's life you need, I've got plenty."_

_And he gave it to them._

_Trying to force some spark into their bodies. Trying to give that regeneration something to hold onto. Desperately…!_

_"There he is!" cried a voice. "Jack Harkness!"_

_Jack looked up.._

_To discover a whole group of humanoid soldiers, armed to the teeth, racing towards him._

_Not now. Oh, please, not now! If Seo and Jenny were shot again, before the regeneration could take hold…_

_Jack threw himself on top of the two sisters._

_"Jack Harkness of STP," said one of the soldiers, as they surrounded him. "You're to be handed over to the Trothanian Empire. Any resistance, and your two friends will be shot."_

_"Looks like we're too late for that," said one of the other soldiers, bending down to get a better look. "They look pretty dead al—"_

_That was when Jenny and Seo, in unison, exploded in a burst of regenerative power._

* * *

_Seo started upright, from her place on the ground. She didn't know where they were, and her head was still muggy from the regeneration, but…_

_"Of course!" Seo cried. Her voice sounding a little higher and a little more English than she was used to. "I was shot! I tried to regenerate, but whatever they used wouldn't let me!"_

_A short-cropped brown-haired young woman, beside Seo, was already climbing to her feet. Looking around herself, trying to get re-oriented._

_"You did something really clever to let us regenerate anyways, didn't you, Jenny?" Seo asked._

_"Did you ever doubt me?" Jenny replied. She ran over, knelt down by one of the bodies strewn around them. Bodies Seo had only just noticed. "Still breathing. But burned. He must have been too close."_

_Seo jumped to her feet, spotting something. Raced in the opposite direction. "Jack!"_

_Jack was a charred husk, lying on the ground, lifeless. He'd gotten the full brunt of their regenerative explosion, and it showed._

_In the distance, the sounds of gunshots and fighting._

_"My TARDIS is around here," Jenny said. Grabbed Jack by the legs, and helped Seo haul him up. "Let's get out of here before the regeneration sickness sets in." She grunted, at the weight of Jack's body. "First thing to do… is find Jack a new name. Sounds like_ everyone _wants to kill him!"_

_"Yeah, yeah," Seo muttered, hoisting him up and hauling him towards Jenny's ship. "Seriously, though, what do I look like? Am I tall? Short? Fat? Thin? Am I blonde or ginger or…" she gasped. "I don't look like Glory, again, this time, right? Oh, please don't tell me I look like Glory!"_

_"You don't," Jenny said, unlocking the door. "You look about twelve. Now let's get out of here!"_

_Seo paused in the doorway. "Twelve?!" she cried._

_It wasn't actually a twelve year old body._

_Just her shortest body yet, with an extremely young-looking face. But… do up the hair and clothes the right way …_

_"Hey, we're in a war against child snatchers," Jack said, as Seo finished braiding her pigtails. He winked at her, handing her a comms unit. "A regeneration that can pass for a kid? Perfect."_

_"Thanks, Jac—I mean, Boe," Seo said, taking and hiding it in her shoe._

_She could never get used to calling him Boe — a title he'd chosen based on a childhood nickname of his. Not even now, after the war had been going on for almost a year, and Jack had been using his code-name for most of that time._

_He just felt like a Jack._

_"Don't sweat the name," Jack assured her. "For you… I'll keep being Jack. Always."_

* * *

_Seo was on another mission._

_She stood around, pretending to be scared and helpless so she could blend in with the other kids around her. She also tried to pretend she didn't recognize the thugs rounding them all up._

_So. Looked like the Trothanians had hired the last of the Radiowave Bully groups to work for them directly. Make sure drug supplies didn't dry up, in the worlds the Empire had taken over and decided to turn into drug-creation factories._

_Seo waited. Let herself and the others get ushered into the great big Trothanian war ship, to go for processing. No radio wave conversion and transportation — not since STP had disabled it at its source. No, back to battle cruisers and brute force, now._

_Once they were all locked up inside, and no Radiowave Bullies were around acting as body guard, Seo dropped her disguise. Tried to calm the kids._

_"Don't worry," said Seo. Brought out her badge, waving it at the others. "STP. I'm here to get you out."_

_They looked up at her. Terrified._

_A small boy pointed. "STP!" he said. "Mummy said this war's your fault in the first place."_

_The others seemed to agree. Gave Seo angry glares._

_Seo had been getting a lot of this. Couldn't imagine what kind of hell Jack and Jenny were going through, dealing with the adults, when Seo got this dealing with the kids._

_"We did what we had to," said Seo. "And we're_ still _saving kids. I'm here to rescue you."_

_"They were only collecting kids on primitive planets, before," said an older girl. "They wouldn't have taken kids on worlds that mattered, like ours. But then STP stepped in, and now they're taking everyone."_

_An older boy elbowed her in the side. "Shut up!" he hissed. "She's our only shot at rescue!"_

_At least one person saw sense._

_Seo installed the teleport beams around the cargo bay. Then radioed back in to Jenny, at HQ. "All set up and ready," she said. "Beam 'em back."_

_"Understood," came Jenny's voice._

_The kids disappeared in a burst of light. Leaving Seo alone in the cargo bay._

_"Got all the kids here," Jenny reported. "You all right, alone in there?"_

_"Never better," said Seo. "Someone has to get behind the lines somehow."_

_"Just make sure those Radiowave Bullies don't recognize you," Jenny replied._

_They wouldn't, though. Last time this lot of Radiowave Bullies had seen Seo, she'd worn a different face. Advantage was all hers, now._

_The ship landed. Perfect. Time to get at that drug-processing equipment, shut it down permanently, and make sure no one else could get chewed up and spat out for the sake of this stupid empire._

_Seo put on a breathing mask, then activated one of the charms on her charm-bracelet. The charm flashed at the hatch to the cargo bay. Then it opened._

_And Seo froze._

_Slowly put her hands in the air._

_"We thought it was you," said the General of the Trothanian Squad that was aiming guns at her. "Welcome to our trap."_

* * *

_Seo felt ice-cold water splash across her face, and she spluttered._

_"You're not protecting them, you know," said the General, by her ear. He was pulling her by her hair. "We know where your friends are. We can track your base through your communications array. Just tell us the codes, and we'll let you go."_

_Seo still said nothing._

_Needed to find a way out of this._

_"If you don't comply, we'll turn on the processors," said the General. "Let you watch as we turn the children we've captured into soulless drug-distribution devices. Trap them in a living hell."_

_Seo gritted her teeth._

_If she gave them what they wanted, they'd do that anyways. Process everyone across their whole galactic sector. Ship the adults off to breeding farms, and process any new children as quickly as they came._

_Seo wasn't giving them anything._

_But she didn't have to. Had already done her work. Just a matter of time, now, before help arrived. Before…_

_The air rippled, before her. Then parted, a man with a leather wrist-strap stepping out, World War II military greatcoat flapping._

_The General turned._

_And was blasted apart by Jack's gun._

_"You took down their teleportation blockers, huh?" Jack said, helping Seo get free. "Gotta hand it to you. You know how to get out of a tight spot."_

_Seo jumped to her feet. Doing her best to block out the pain of her previous torture-session. "Jenny and the others?"_

_"Evacuated," said Jack. "Got your message. Knew what had happened." He turned, raced off. "Come on. We've got some processors to sabotage."_

_"It's worse than we thought, though," said Seo, following. "That General. When he was torturing me, he let slip that they'd taken the last planet in the Frexotir system."_

_"We'll deal with that later," said Jack. Winked at her. "Work to do, here, first."_

_Seo grinned, in spite herself. "Lead the way, then… 'Boe.'"_

_"Told you," said Jack, as they raced off. "For you, Seo, I'll be Jack." He gave her a playful punch in the arm. "You can always count on me."_

* * *

_Jack won the war for them, in the end. Hero of the hour._

_No one else saw it like that._

_In the end, they'd all had to run from an angry mob — composed of the very people they'd saved. They were separated. Seo raced back to 20th century Earth, Jenny flew across universes to return to her adopted home. And Jack…_

_Well…_

_No one ever knew where he went._

_But it was a very long time before Jenny and Seo saw him, again._


	27. Chapter 27

The Eighth Seo opened her eyes, and discovered herself in the middle of… what looked like… a sculpture garden. So many people around her, all caught and frozen in a moment of time.

The ones near the Eighth Seo looked horrified. Farther away, the Eighth Seo could see some trying to flee.

But she suspected that the further she got to the machine… the 'Savior of Glorificus'… the fewer looks of horror she'd see. The more people would have been caught completely unaware of what was about to happen.

"Ugh," came the voice of her younger-self. Getting up from the ground, steadying herself. "That's a time differential I _never_ want to go through, again!"

"Are you coming, or are you just going to stand there and complain?" Eight demanded.

Her younger-self grumbled, but hopped over to her with that usual seventh-self skip she'd always had. That usual cheery grin.

"All right! All right!" said the Seventh Seo. "No need to act all stodgy and stuck-up just because you've decided to make a Jack-style transformation and go from having a little fun to being serious all the time."

Eight glanced over. "So you _are_ past that point. Jack's come back. You've reunited for the first time since he departed, at the end of the Trothanian War."

"'Departed'," Seven repeated. Reflecting, head cocked to one side. "That's a nice way of putting it. I'd have gone with 'fled for his life from an angry mob who wanted to throw him into a sun', but…" She grinned, widely. "I suppose history sees it differently."

Yes.

History always saw things differently. Didn't it?

Seven made a face. "Course, now he's the Exalted Boe," she said. "Celebrity of the Mutters' Spiral. And… well, fine for him and Jenny, being able to use their fame to help others. Me? Not my thing. Not at…!"

Eight pushed forwards, walking a little faster. "I have nothing to say to you."

Seven faltered. Then raced up. "What?" she said. "What is it? You know, you've been cranky ever since—"

Eight spun on Seven, angrily. "You're right," she hissed. "History _does_ see things differently." She pointed a finger in Seven's face. "And you're _my_ history."

Seven's jaw fell open. As she realized… "You're not cranky. You're angry at _me_. Specifically."

Eight knew younger-her would get it eventually. The cheery idiot!

"This isn't because of my sexuality, right?" Seven checked. Gave a cheeky grin that lit up her face. "Because… got to tell you. If there was any incarnation of me that I'd like to snog — it wouldn't be you."

"It doesn't have to do with that," Eight retorted.

But Seven was already off in a world of her own. Reflecting. "I think… well, Fifth Me, obviously," Seven said. "She's a looker. Rowr!"

Eight _didn't_ want to be having this conversation.

"Two, also," Seven decided. "Because she's cute, and a snog would shut her up. Also, nice hair. We never did become ginger again, did we?"

Eight pushed past her, and made her way to the center of the time distortion.

"Six and One would be nice, too," Seven decided. "Since they're blond. I've got a thing for blonds, this time." Her grin widened. "Like Stacy and Tim. Adorable!"

"Could you please stop talking about which versions of ourselves you most want to snog," Eight cut in, swinging around, "and get on with saving this planet?" She gave a dark glare, then turned back. "I don't want to spend any more time around you than I have to. Not after what you did."

"What I…?" Seven paused. "Oh."

Nope.

Nothing to do with the sexuality.

Eight couldn't forgive Seven for another reason entirely. And she never would.


	28. The Story of the Seventh Seo

* * *

_Jack was old when he came back._

_Neither Seo nor Jenny had seen him for several lifetimes, now. But, apparently, it had been longer for him than it had been for them. It made Seo wonder — just how far and how fast can someone run when they lose faith in everything they've ever known?_

_Seo didn't know what Jack expected to find, coming back._

_But she was pretty sure it wasn't this._

_They were at a café on Yrgulin, in the Servos System. It had begun normally enough, just the three of them catching up on what they'd been doing since they last parted — actually, Jenny and Seo did most of the relating, while Jack continued to be evasive — but then…_

_"Which was important, because the Ptrovian economy was… are you listening, Seo?" Jenny demanded._

_Seo pointed to the café window. "Are they all staring at us?"_

_They all turned around to look out the window. At the myriad of humans, aliens, creatures of all sorts, all plastered up against the window, peering in. At them._

_Well._

_There was only one thing to do in that situation._

_Seo began making faces at them. Screwing up her eyes, sticking out her tongue. That sort of thing. When that got boring, she thought maybe she'd take out her yo-yo. Or turn a few cartwheels. Or maybe find some of the most attractive and start chatting them up! Or…_

_Then the mob came flooding in._

_And they weren't looking at Seo._

_"It's him!" shouted a purple-skinned, tentacle alien. She practically fell on Jack. "It's really him! I was right! The Mighty and Eternal Boe! I read all about you in history class!"_

_The alien was shoved aside by the next group of human-looking people. Who were shoved aside by a chalk-white skinned person dressed as a valet. All rushing to get to Jack._

_Jenny leaned over to Seo. "A fiver says he tries to flirt his way out." Then, after a brief pause, added, "Or you do."_

_"And how much high-powered shielding will that buy us, when we have to hide from another enraged mob?" Seo whispered back._

_"Whoa, whoa, ladies and gentlemen!" said Jack, trying to look for escape routes. He put up his hands in surrender. "Listen, I'm just here with my two friends for a quiet conversation. Whatever you've read or heard about the Trothanian War, it's not—"_

_"It_ is _him!" shouted one of the crowd. "The hero of the war!"_

_"The hero of the Mutter's Spiral!" shouted another._

_"I wanna have your baby!" shouted a third._

_Jack was stunned. So were Seo and Jenny. For a long time, they literally couldn't speak._

_When Jack had left the Mutters Spiral, everyone had hated him. The whole Mutters Spiral had blamed him for starting the Trothanian War. And for all the children who'd died during the course of it. He'd barely managed to escape their anger, at the end._

_Now…_

_Everything was different._

_"Boe!" the crowd chanted, waving around digipads and impressiostamps. "Boe! Boe! Boe! Boe!"_

_Thus… began Jack's life as a celebrity._

* * *

_"We have a very special guest on the show, today," said the antennaed talk-show host, Lillian DuPore. "Everyone's learned, in their history courses, about the legendary Immortal Man. The one with the vision to fight back when no one else would, the one with the courage to face down the most horrible monsters, the one who went out into the stars to defend and save the children of countless Class-5 worlds. Turns out, he's still alive, and he's here with us today! Please welcome the Legendary and Exalted Boe!"_

_Cheering and applause._

_"How did this happen?" Seo asked, watching the broadcast. She turned to her sister. "Last time he was here, everyone hated him for the Trothanian War. They blamed him for causing it." She threw up her hands. "He barely escaped a Mutter's-Spiral-Wide lynch-mob throwing him into the nearest sun, to burn to death forever!"_

_Jenny just shrugged from her spot on the couch. "Think about it, Seo," she said. "STP defended Class-5 planets. When the Trothanian War broke out, most of those planets had only just made interstellar contact." She glanced over at Seo. "Guess which planets are most influential_ now _?"_

_On the visi-screen, hovering in midair, Jack walked into the studio._

_Seo had expected him to flirt. Well, face it, it's what_ she _would do. That Lillian was a looker!_

_But it seemed that Jack's flirting, easygoing, let-life-wash-over-him days had gone with the name 'Jack Harkness'._

_Boe didn't flirt._

_Boe was just… exultant. Respected. A hero._

_Lillian soon got past the awkward 'you-really-are-immortal' and 'we-thought-you-were-long-dead' questions which everyone felt they were obliged to ask, and then got to move on to the stuff people actually tuned in for._

_"We all know that, centuries ago, the Mutter's Spiral was a far more dangerous place," said Lillian. Checking her notes to make sure she had the facts correct. "This whole arm of the Milky Way was swarming with gangsters, intent on abducting humanoid children to process and use as narcotics. But you, unlike everyone else, had the courage to speak out against them. The courage to stop them."_

_The audience cheered wildly._

_The expression on Jack's face showed that this was, quite possibly, the first time in his life that he'd been_ thanked _for these actions, instead of_ blamed _for them._

_"What inspired you to do that?" said Lillian._

_And so Jack launched into the story of how this all started. On 21st century Earth, with the 456. With the death of Ianto, Jack's lover, and Steven Carter, Jack's grandson. The events that made his daughter never speak to him again, made him flee from Earth and lose all hope._

_"But I've been to the Mutter's Spiral in this century loads of times!" Seo insisted. "No one's ever claimed I'm some STP hero. Or you!"_

_"Well, naturally," said Jenny. "We look and act completely different than we did back then. And I never dared bring up STP, after the way things ended."_

_Seo hadn't dared, either._

_In fact, she'd avoided any and all mention of it, whenever she'd been traveling here. Had purposely changed the subject if anyone spoke about it._

_No wonder she hadn't known._

_"Did you know all the details of this?" Jenny asked, pointing at the screen. "With Earth and the 456? It sounds like it happened while you were still living there."_

_Seo spun around. Peered at the screen, trying to recall._

_It had been so long ago._

_"I do sort of remember hearing about it," Seo said. She couldn't remember any of the events Jack was describing, though, and she was pretty sure she would have, if she'd been there. "I must have been on another planet, when it happened."_

_"Your mum was around, though, right?" said Jenny._

_Seo frowned, a little deeper. "She… was mostly involved with the Crystallizer, I think," she said._

_"…and I thought that was the end," Jack concluded his story, on the screen. "Until Xengodu, when I encountered the 222. And I found out there was more than one group out there, beaming themselves in on radio waves so they could snatch children up from Class-5 planets. That was when I formed STP."_

_"STP," Lillian repeated. "How did you choose the name?"_

_"The Radiowave Bullies were comprised of a whole group of gangs, all wandering around and abducting children," Jack explained. "But just to avoid two different groups hitting the same planet, each group of Radiowave Bullies had an access point — a way of signaling to each other if one was in breach of another's territory. We found the access point."_

_"And put in your own claim?"_

_Jack shrugged. "We wanted to tell them 'STOP'. But the message only allowed three symbols. So we dropped the O."_

_"And so STP was formed!" Lillian replied, with a kind and sympathetic smile. "Even though it sounds like you went through a lot of heartache and loss to get there. To think of all you've sacrificed, just so we can all be here, today!"_

_The audience looked like they were lapping the story up. Some even had tears in their eyes, they were so moved._

_"A lesser man would run away — but not you!" Lillian continued. "You took tragedy and turned it into a mission. A hero's quest."_

_Frantic applause._

_"It wasn't exactly like that," Jack countered. "I wasn't seen as a hero when I did it."_

_"Too right!" shouted Jenny, jumping to her feet. "Do they have any idea just how many people tried to kill us? And most of the time, it wasn't the Radiowave Bullies doing the shooting!"_

_"The Shadow Proclamation executing us was fun," Seo agreed. Sighed. "That's one death I'll never forget."_

_On the broadcast, Lillian was explaining that particular event, herself._

_"…seems the Shadow Proclamation even executed you and the rest of STP," Lillian said, "just after the fighting broke out, at the start of the Trothanian War. It was, of course, only discovered later that many Shadow Proclamation members, at the time, had been getting kickbacks from the drug trafficking."_

_Jack stared at Lillian. Absolutely astonished._

_Outside of the studio, Jenny and Seo were doing much the same thing._

_"They were_ what _?!" Seo cried._

_"I_ knew _there was something fishy about that lot," Jenny muttered._

_On the screen, Jack managed to regain his composure. "I… wasn't aware of that."_

_"Another devastating loss for you, it seems," Lillian sympathized. "Losing the two other members of STP, due to deceit and corruption. Having to recruit new…"_

_Jack cleared his throat. "Actually, they escaped," he said. Turned to the camera. "And they're still out there. Watching, right now. They've been with me every step of the way — from the 222 on Xengodu, to the chemical devastation of Vesula, to the blood-soaked fields of Echtolon. We were STP together, the three of us, and without the two of them — none of the rest of it would have been possible."_

_The images of Jenny and Seo (the latter, of course, an artist rendering) flashed up onto the screen._

_"I lost my family, my beliefs, my team and my mission, when the 456 came to Earth," said Jack. "But Seo and Jenny gave me a new team, a new mission, a new hope for the future." He gave them a smile, through the cameras. Seemed to be looking at and addressing them, directly. "Back then, I always took responsibility for STP, so the blame would fall on me. But the credit… that belongs to you two, Jenny and Seo."_

_Wild applause._

_Jenny turned to Seo, who was laughing so hard, she could barely stand upright._

_"What did he just do?!" Jenny exclaimed._

_"Isn't it brilliant?" said Seo, through her laughter. "We've just become rich, spoiled celebrities!"_


	29. The Story of the 7th Seo, II

_They were big._

Really big.

_Moment Jenny stepped out wearing a new outfit, millions across Mutter's Spiral would purchase the same outfit. Countless yo-yo enthusiast societies were set up because of Seo's 7th incarnation's love for yo-yo tricks._

_Young girls tried to be like Seo and Jenny. Wrote long essays and stories on how those two were their role models._

_Older girls — and older boys — fawned over them as sex-icons._

_The ones who were of legal age… Seo snogged._

_The gossip-o-sphere thought-transmission-network had fun with_ that _particular little hobby of Seo's. It seemed to always be abuzz with the latest on the two sisters._

_"I think I should leave this century," Jenny said, one day, after she'd tried to leave Jack's new home and wound up mobbed. "This is just… madness!"_

_Seo bounced over, wearing official-looking robes. "Why?" she asked. "We've got so much to do!" She brought out a 21st century 'to do' pad, which was filled to bursting with hand-scrawled notes. Waved it in Jenny's face. "You know how many planets out there want our help, now? They're asking for us, specifically!"_

_"You're just happy because you can snog lots of people, and the paparazzi can't get pictures of you doing it," Jenny muttered. Gestured at Seo's outfit. "And what's that all about?"_

_"Jack's going to some great big peace negotiation!" Seo explained. "We're coming along as his seconds!" She raised up another set of robes for Jenny. "Here!"_

_Jenny took the robes. But didn't seem inclined to put them on._

_It was always like that, in those early days of Jenny's celebrity status._

_The more she was out in the public eye, the more twitchy she became._

_"Don't you love having people always watching you and asking you what to do?" Seo said, a month later, when they had just saved a planet on the other end of Mutter's Spiral. "It makes things so much easier! We can skip the whole getting-locked-up-and-nearly-killed part, and get down to saving people!"_

_As if to prove it was wonderful, Seo turned a cartwheel._

_Everyone around them applauded._

_Seo spun around and blew them a kiss. Waving at a gorgeous blond guy in the front._

_Jenny dragged Seo away. "I just… need some privacy," she said. "It's…" She gritted her teeth, rubbed her temples._

_Seo caught the unease. "Oh," she realized. "You don't like it."_

_Jenny didn't answer._

_"So why are you staying, then?" Seo asked. "You have a ship. You could leave any time."_

_"I just… it's complicated," Jenny argued._

_Seo's current incarnation was an attention-magnet, though. She loved it. Loved having everyone look at her and fawn over her and tell her how impressive she was. Loved going out and foiling a villain with her yo-yo, and seconds later, it was all over the gossip-o-sphere. Loved the snogs, loved that people knew her by sight, loved that she could get into any club at any time without having to lie or trick or deceive. Loved having the kids all know her name, and come up with shy smiles and ask for her autograph._

_Maybe that was what she loved best about it._

_Being able to make children smile._

_Of course, most of the attention was on Jack. Boe, as he was now called. Seo and Jenny were nicknamed, "the Inspirations of Boe", and "the Guiding Lights of Boe," and — Seo's personal favorite — "the Boe-lings"._

_One time they were even called, "Daughters of Boe"._

_Seo thought that was hysterical._

_Jenny just muttered that it was a little creepy. And disrespectful to their real father._

_"And you'd know all about that," Seo pointed out to Jenny, after getting more than a little fed up with Jenny's whining. "After what you did in your last life. The CIA — the people who stopped that second regeneration cycle from reaching Trenzalore Fields. And you had the nerve to_ actually work _for…!"_

_"But…! But…!" Jenny seemed flustered. "Dad would have…!"_

_"If he'd still been alive, he'd have been ashamed of you," Seo told her. Turned away. "We're just lucky you saw reason and quit when you did. Before you disgraced his memory even more!"_

_Seo had said it to Jenny often enough, in the past._

_But somehow… Jenny took it far harder, now, than she ever had before._

_Perhaps Seo should have recognized the warning signs. Perhaps it should have been obvious. But Seo didn't notice. Not any of it. She was far too preoccupied with her adoring fans._

_She didn't have time for Jenny._

_Barely even gave it a second thought when Jenny took Seo aside to say, "Please. Leave with me. Get away from here. Please, I'm begging you!"_

_"You can leave," Seo said. "I'm staying." She beamed. "I like it!"_

_"Please!" Jenny said, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. "Please! Please!_ Please _!"_

_"Quit it!" Seo said, squirming out of Jenny's grip. "Go leave, then! Do what you want! It doesn't have anything to do with me."_

_Seo didn't know it, yet. Wouldn't, until the very end of her seventh incarnation. But ignoring Jenny, at these moments, and reprimanding her for insulting Father's memory — would be one of the worst mistakes Seo had ever made in all her lives._

_At the time, it seemed unimportant._

_After all._

_The two sisters had always reprimanded one another for doing what — they believed — was the 'wrong thing'. All the way back to their first incarnations, when they'd been young and wandering around the universe, fighting monsters without having a clue what they were doing._

_And Jenny didn't seem too hurt, anyways — or at least, it didn't make her leave. Nope. Jenny stayed. And eventually, Jenny embraced the crowds. Embraced the celebrity and the majesty of being famous._

_Jenny grew to accept her new life. And her celebrity._

_That was how it started._

* * *

_"Oh, it's… you," said the President of Riegel. He forced a smile. "We were expecting… but, no! That's very considerate of you to come and save us."_

_Seo stared at them. Then gave an uneasy laugh, figuring this was some kind of joke she'd missed._

_"Good for you, downplaying the rescue," Seo agreed, clapping the President on the back. "Tell you what? How about I save your world, and you can stand up and seem all impressive, at the end?"_

_The President extricated himself from Seo's grip. Then looked around, expectantly. "Your sister isn't anywhere nearby, right?" he checked. "Just… to save us, instead?"_

_It had stung, that first time Seo had heard it._

_But she decided to brush it off. "Nope!" Seo told herself, in her ship. "Not getting jealous. Jenny's a planet-saving superhero, too, and… well… some people are just more inclined to like her than they are to like me! That's all right. We're different! Everyone loves being different!"_

_The second time it happened, Seo had a much harder time keeping her emotions in check._

_The third time, Seo broke down right in the middle of the Council of the Esteemed Government of Oitor. And began shouting._

_"What is it with Jenny these days?" she demanded. "You lot are about to be annihilated, here! Does it matter who actually does the saving?!"_

_"Well, it's just… with your reputation and all," said the Esteemed High Governor, "we thought we might have a better chance handling this… alone."_

_"Unless Jenny's around," the Second High Governor piped in. "Then we'd be happy for a rescue!"_

_"My… reputation?" Seo checked._

_The moment after she'd finished saving the ungrateful, miserable planet, she'd raced back to Oliver. Started intercepting all the gossip-o-sphere's information on her. Seo hadn't really been following it — she didn't have the necessary implants to pick it up, and even if she'd been fitted with an implant, the interface wouldn't have worked with her brain._

_But it worked with Oliver's._

_Seo stared. Just under the headlines for "Most Popular Baby Names this year: Steva and Steven!" and "Ninth Planet Renamed 'Planet Ianto' after Fallen Hero", Seo found an exposé… on her._

_"Seo: the Bungler of STP," Seo read aloud._

_She couldn't believe it. Some nosy journalist had gone out and tracked down all mentions of her. Taken the time to note every way in which Seo had managed to — in the midst of saving a planet — accidentally wind up making things temporarily worse._

_Before, of course, she'd saved the day._

_"But everyone makes mistakes!" Seo insisted to no one in particular. "And some of those things weren't even my fault!"_


	30. the Story of the 7th Seo, III

_A month later, everyone had heard the story._

_Jack — Boe, now — was asked about it over and over again. Asked about the time Seo had accidentally caused that meltdown on Efedo, or that time when she thought she'd been defeating the Evil Xexor even though she'd actually been making him stronger._

_"The meltdown happened, yes," Boe said, calmly. "But the lives lost were minimal, because of Seo's actions. And she saved the people from a far more deadly peril."_

_It wasn't enough._

_Wasn't ever enough._

_Whole planets were beginning to get wiped out, because they decided they'd rather take their chances on their own than trust Seo. Little girls stopped wanting to be her. The yo-yo societies closed down._

_And all Seo's jubilant showing-off was seen as "cheap overcompensation for utter incompetence."_

_"Listen, I don't know why you're so obsessed with this," Jenny had snapped at some nosy reporter. "But my sister's not a bungler."_

_"But we have countless examples of times when Seo would have died," said the reporter, "if you hadn't saved her at the last minute. She would have died and taken everyone else with her."_

_Jenny glared. "I'll admit Seo makes mistakes," she said. "I'll admit she's reckless and impulsive and… well, at times, utterly uncontrollable." She pointed a finger in the reporter's face. "But she's the sweetest soul and the bravest spirit you'll ever find in this universe. That's a fact."_

_The reporter turned it into a story: "Jenny Confesses Seo is Uncontrollable!"_

_And it just kept getting worse and worse. Historians published books theorizing how Jenny and Boe covered up Seo's bungling during her time with STP. Talk-show hosts wondered if Seo tripped over her own feet to accidentally blowing up worlds, or something — as if that really happened!_

_Then the serious senseo-cord movie studios began joining in._

_The Seo character in the movie, "Boe: Hero of the Universe" was a goofball who spurted out ridiculous comments and actually seemed to believe them. She wasn't just a bungler; she was shown as being even thicker and more destructive than the drugged-up aliens who were trying to slaughter the planet's children._

_When Jack confronted the movie-makers, they insisted they were accurate. "We got most of the dialogue from historical records!" they said. "She really did say all those things."_

_"Of course she says ridiculous things!" Jack snapped. "It doesn't mean she believes them!"_

_He used his political power and influence to suppress the movie, claiming it was wildly inaccurate._

_But the damage had been done._

_Children started using the phrase "pulling a Seo" to mean doing something monumentally stupid. Adults scoffed at Seo in the street. TV programs constantly compared Seo to Jenny and Jack, as if the three were in competition with one another. And when Jenny began to show up wherever Seo was, following her around and taking over situations as if Seo really_ were _incompetent —_ that _was when Seo knew she had to leave._

_"I don't need this," Seo told Jack. "I'm going back to the 15th century to let the Watcher's Council try to kill me as a demon, instead. At least_ they _respect me."_

_Jack stopped her before she reached her ship._

_Looked deep into her eyes._

_"I'll stop the rumors," he told her. "You don't have to leave."_

_Seo crossed her arms. "They want Jenny to save them?" she replied. "Let Jenny save them! Because, thing is, they're right — I am reckless. I do jump in before I work out what's going on." Her eyes darted over to Jenny, in the distance. "Compared to you two, I_ am _a thick-headed bungler."_

_Jack gave a soft laugh. Then swept her into a hug. "Oh, Seo," he said. "You make more mistakes. But you perform more miracles." He pulled away, looking at her, fondly. "It's what makes you you."_

_Seo stepped back. "Know what else makes me me?" she countered. "I like destroying things. Just like the public says! Which means, right now, I'm going to go find a weapons-factory or something. Just so I can have the satisfaction of causing a great big gigantic explosion."_

_"Seo…"_

_Seo yanked her ring off her finger. "You two enjoy being competent, together. Without me." Threw the ring at Jack, who caught it. She turned away from him. "When I want to be degraded and humiliated any more than I already am, maybe I'll stop by and pick that up. In the meantime… I need some time incommunicado."_

_And she left._

_Never looking back._

* * *

_When Jenny came back to the movie studio, they all seemed happy to see her._

_"Come up with another script?" said the movie producer. "We loved your writing for 'Boe: Hero of the Universe'. We thought… let's work on that angle you pitched to us, last time. The one where Seo is a weapon who likes to destroy things, and you and Boe are all that's keeping her from turning into a murderous psychopath. Culminating in the murder of Seo's own aunt."_

_"I think making Seo evil would cast Boe's story in an entirely new light," the director agreed. "He Battles Monsters is good, but… He Battles Monsters While Struggling to Suppress Seo's Madness just has so much more to it! Such a better storyline! And the aunt's death — icing on the cake!"_

_Jenny walked over to them, a smile on her face. Dark eyes fixed on the people before her._

_"As long as it's historically accurate," the producer chimed in. "But… well, you said it was, and… you'd know, of course. You were there."_

_"When her aunt died? Yeah, I was," Jenny agreed. Coolly. Calmly. "But Seo wasn't."_

_The producer and director faltered._

_"But… you said…" the director tried._

_"I lied about Seo," Jenny explained. "To everyone. Finally drove her away."_

_The producer and the director looked at one another. Then back at Jenny._

_"Things is… Seo's gone, now," Jenny continued, circling around them. Putting her hand on the backs of their chairs. "And we're gonna make a different kind of movie. The kind that means I get whatever I want."_

_Their screams echoed for several minutes._

_Before… silence._

* * *

—Is this all really necessary? _Jenny asked._ I don't like people getting hurt. I said I'd only do it if no one got hurt.

_She awaited the answer._

_And it came._

_Every syllable sliding through her._

—But you're a soldier, Jenny. Born to kill. To murder. To cause suffering and death for a pointless war that had no purpose. It's how you were created and it's all you are — deep down inside. A soldier. Just following orders.

_Jenny didn't want to be like that, though. She'd become something more than just a soldier! She didn't… didn't want… couldn't possibly want…!_

—What's wrong? Don't you trust me, Jenny?

_Jenny didn't answer for a long moment._

_Then: "Yes."_

—So do it.

* * *

_At the end of Seo's seventh life, she knew the biggest mistake she'd made was not helping Jenny, back when she'd been hurting and begging and desperate._

_The second biggest mistake had been leaving Jenny behind._

_Seo, even in her Eighth incarnation, could never forgive herself for that._


	31. Chapter 31

The 'Salvation of Glorificus' machine lay still and silent. The engineers and scientists all pouring over it, analyzing with rapt awe and amazement on their faces.

The Seventh and Eighth Seos had already torn the front off the device. Were already analyzing how it worked, and trying to work out what it did. How it had managed to create the Stillness.

They couldn't work it out, though.

"There's nothing in here that should affect time at all," Eight said. Frowning. "Perhaps this _isn't_ the cause. Perhaps it was a distraction, as Glory used some super-power to activate the Stillness, herself."

Seven thought about this.

Then jumped to her feet, racing around to the back. "Only one way to find out!" she called. "Turn it on!"

Eight jumped up, too. "What?!" Began racing after her younger-self. "You can't…!"

But too late.

The machine hummed with power, as the Seventh Seo did the electricity trick again. Tapping into the power they'd managed to get moving, in the surveillance cameras, and directing that into the machine.

Eight held her breath, as the machine began, yet again.

If it had brought the stillness, last time it was on, then what would it do this time? What calamity would it…?

But nothing happened.

Seven beamed. "There!" she cried, pointing at the machine. "See? We were right. Nothing in this machine that could possibly affect the speed of time. Whatever caused the Stillness, it wasn't that."

"So what was it?" Eight asked.

Seven hopped forwards, already attacking the machine's buttons. "We can find out!" Seven explained. "That's what this does! It detects and tracks currents of time. Maps their flow, and determines their origin. Nothing malicious." She poked and prodded. "Just need to lock it into the Stillness, make it tell us where it originated and what's at its…"

There was a flash.

And then a burst of sound, as the city around them unfroze.

The scientists and engineers all coming to life, in an instant, the swirling cyclone of their insides pulsing and swirling around, just as it had with Flitchor. Their eyes looking excited, their expressions determined.

Up until the moment they realized that the machine was not how they left it.

And that there were two other people in the room, now.

"Where is she?!" shouted one of the scientists. "Where did she go?!"

"It's them!" shouted an engineer, pointing at the two Seos. "They wear the form of gods. They took her away, tried to destroy the Salvation she delivered us!"

"Oh, dear," said Eight. "That's the problem with frozen time. You lot have no idea you've been frozen."

She and the Seventh Seo held up their hands, backing away.

Seven leaned in, closer. "What did I do?" she whispered. "This shouldn't have happened!"

"In our reality, no," Eight agreed. "But I think the laws of this reality are even more complicated than we knew."

The cyclone-people charged at them.

Seos Seven and Eight spun around, trying to sprint away, but soon found their passage blocked. They were surrounded by a circle of angry-looking cyclone people…

And, even worse, the movement of time had spread down to the outer-city. The screams of those caught trying to flee was swarming into the building, surrounding them.

A phone-looking device was answered by a cyclone-person in the corner. And the Eighth Seo could see the moment he realized that they'd been frozen in time. The moment the report from the outer-city came in, and they understood what had been done to them.

"Listen, we understand," Eight put in, hurriedly. "You fought for Glorificus. You loved her, trusted her even when she came back. Your world had fallen into chaos, and you reached out to grab anything you could. I understand how much you wanted to believe she was good. But she wasn't. She tricked you!"

This only seemed to make the cyclone-people angrier.

They pulled out gigantic, fiery-looking rods, brandishing them at the two Seos.

But Seven had whipped out her trusty yo-yo, and in a trick they didn't normally teach most untrained yo-yo enthusiasts, managed to lasso the weapons out of the cyclone-peoples' hands.

"Carbon fiber rope," Eight muttered. "Forgot that one."

Seven stepped forwards. Brandishing her yo-yo at the others as if it were deadly. "All right, that's enough!" Seven snapped. "You said yourselves that we took the shapes of gods. Which means there's no point in trying to kill us, is there? If we're immortal!"

"What have you done with Glorificus!" one of the cyclone-people roared. "She said you were sending her away. That is why she returned to us, her faithful, loyal servants. To save us for her return."

"To…" Eight felt her jaw drop open. "Save you. As in shove you into the freezer and wait till she came back, so she could defrost you lot for a tasty snack."

"You defile our goddess!" shouted one of the cyclone-people.

"The only reason _you lot_ , in this city, still love her — is because you've been frozen longer than all the rest!" the Seventh Seo insisted. "Everywhere else, people know! Glorificus tricked you. She promised you salvation, and then froze you. So her enemies couldn't access any of your energy." The Seventh Seo stepped forwards. "So that, when she came back, her enemies would be weak. And she'd be able to take her revenge."

Ah.

It made sense.

This was why the other two hell gods hadn't stopped the carnage that had continued, after the war. Hadn't managed to eliminate the ends of Glory's armies, across their universe.

Glory, just before her exile, had realized it was the end.

And cut off the other two hell gods from any world they'd won in battle. Any world whose people they could use to become stronger.

"General, sir!" said one of the cyclone scientists, analyzing the machinery. "They didn't disable the machine! We can still give our people salvation. We can change it back!"

The Eighth Seo surged forwards, planting herself between the scientist and the machine. "The only thing you'll bring, by activating this," she warned, "is doom. A wave of frozen time, engulfing this world!"

"You caused that!" said the cyclone-person who'd gotten the call. Who knew about the Stillness. "Not our machine. Not our Glorificus."

"She didn't bring you salvation, she used you to bring _herself_ salvation," Eight retorted. "Don't you see?" She pointed at the machine. "The technology in there is eons ahead of anything in the rest of your city."

"Glorificus gave us the plans," the scientist explained.

"And why do you think she did that?" the Eighth Seo demanded. "Why did she come back?" She pointed, again, more emphatically. "She gave you that machine to destroy your world. So that her enemies couldn't use you to gain more power. Would still be weak when she returned to this universe and wiped them out. Except Glorificus isn't returning to this universe. Glorificus is dead."

Silence fell across the room.

As they heard the words.

Glorificus… is… dead.

"Blasphemer!" shouted one of the weapon-bearing cyclone people. "Traitor!"

"Your assertions don't even make sense on a scientific level," the scientist argued. He gestured at the machine. "Have you inspected the machine? It couldn't cause some sort of wave of stillness to consume the world! That would be impossible!"

"So what _does_ it do?" the Seventh Seo asked. Jumping forwards, a friendly grin on her face.

"It's a measurement tool," the scientist insisted. "Nothing more! If we can measure exactly when and where the different currents of time will be, we can create pathways through Bvotin. Predict which routes are safe to travel, and when people should evacuate to avoid a patch of slow-time. It doesn't _change_ anything, it just _measures_ it!"

The two Seos felt their jaws drop open.

Then looked at one another.

"Oh, no," said the Eighth Seo.

"You _said_ it was a quantum universe," Seven supplied, with a shrug. "Looks like you were more right than you knew!"

Eight turned back to the machine. "I knew those equations looked familiar!" she chided herself. "But I figured, in a universe like this, there was no way…!"

"What are you two talking about?" the scientist demanded.

"That machine of yours, it's like… Heisenberg gone mad!" Seven explained. "You're measuring something, yes. But by measuring it, you're changing it."

"Uncertainty principle," Eight agreed. "That's what it's using. It's measuring the time streams by altering them. Changing them into the stillness." She gritted her teeth, hissing at herself for not seeing it sooner. "A thousand. I should have known! This plane of existence, the lower dimensions — they all work in quanta!"

"That's… that's… insane," said the cyclone engineer. "We don't work that way. We don't lurch about between different quanta, like—"

"Of course _you_ don't perceive it that way," Seven replied. "But on a higher-dimensional level, that's what you're doing. That's what they see! It's why a thousand is the holy number — it's the next quanta." Noticing that the others in the room weren't understanding, Seven spread her arms. Trying a different explanation. "Let's say… you're a human being. Trying to understand quantum mechanics — the science of small things. Except the small things work so differently, you see them in terms of probabilities. Possibilities. You can't get a really good idea of what's going on until you either interfere, or there's a large number involved." She beamed, bouncing on her toes. "It's the same here, in this reality! These gods of yours can only really understand what's going on when you pass a thousand. It's like you're lurching, to them. Lurching from thousand to thousand — quanta to quanta — and they don't know what's in between."

The Eighth Seo buried her face in her hands.

"I don't understand," said the scientist.

"That's because what she said doesn't make any sense," the Eighth Seo replied. "It's utter nonsense."

Seven crossed her arms. "It's a good way of thinking about it. If not entirely accurate."

"These aren't humans, though," Eight reminded her. "There isn't any companion around to impress, this time." She gestured at the others, around them. "None of these people have the first clue what you're talking about."

Seven conceded the point.

"Wish Stacy and Tim were around," she muttered. "I love being impressive."

"Also, then you could snog them," Eight added.

"That's always a plus."

The general cyclone person sighed, then grabbed up the Eighth Seo. "I've had enough of this," he decided. "This contraption is our salvation, and these two are clearly enemies. We must…!"

Then he froze.

And so did the rest of the world.

Seven ran over, helped her Eighth self out of the grip of the now-frozen cyclone person. Helped her back down to the floor.

"What…?" Seven asked.

"Don't you know?" said Eight. "The quanta is over. A thousand of… something… must have passed. The world lurched forwards. And now… it's back to the stillness."

Seven reflected. "A… probability played out? A cloud of possibility popping into existence for a quanta, then dying out?"

Eight had to admit.

It was a little like Quantum Physics in their own universe.

Provided, of course, that you'd studied Quantum Physics while taking some very powerful hallucinogens.

"And the electrical rerouting was… what?" said the Seventh Seo. "A sub-quanta of a quantum universe?"

Eight sighed. "Can we hash out the nonsensical mathematics later?" she demanded, stepping towards the machine. "It seems pretty clear, now, that this machine is what's causing the problem. Make the machine measure these time currents a different way, and everything will unlock. The Stillness will be a thing of the past."

Seven grinned. "Let's get to it, then!" she decided.


	32. Chapter 32

"So… about Jack," Dawn said, leaning closer to Jenny, as she went about her work. Boe was in the other corner, doing his own calculations and computations. "How old _is_ he?"

Jenny glanced at Dawn. "Your guess is as good as mine."

Dawn frowned. "Seriously?"

"He ran off, after the Trothanian War," Jenny said, with a shrug. "Seo and I didn't see him for a few regenerations, after that. When he returned… he looked like this."

"And became known as 'Boe'?" Dawn asked.

"I'm not going to get into the name," said Jenny. Turning back to the weapon she was trying to dissect and understand. "It involves too much explanation of my and Seo's pasts, and it wouldn't be safe to trust even you with information like that."

Dawn nodded, slowly.

"Not like my sister did," said Jenny. "When she dropped that little hint about how you died."

Oh.

Yeah, Dawn had… mentioned that little conversation between herself and the Tenth Seo, huh? Damn. Hadn't thought of that.

"Look, Seo… told me stuff about you guys' future, yeah." Dawn shifted from foot to foot. Uneasily. "But I… didn't tell _my_ Seo anything."

"No, but you told _our_ Seo something," Jenny replied. Her eyes sharp. "Didn't you? You convinced her she was God."

Damn.

Looks like Jenny knew about that, too.

"I remember first meeting Seo," Jenny put in. "With the Totans and the Vngors. You were there. But after our Seo interfered with your past — time was changed. And you stayed behind on Earth, instead. You didn't trust yourself with the younger-her, anymore. Not after what you did to _our_ Seo."

"I… I didn't realize…" Dawn grimaced. "I just needed to get her to save her past-self. She'd messed it all up, and she was too scared about timeline-tampering to fix it. What was I supposed to do?"

Jenny didn't answer.

Just turned back to her work.

"I'm sorry!" Dawn said. No, more like pleaded. "I didn't mean to… well, I guess… I didn't think she'd…"

"She's mad, Dawn," Jenny replied, her voice so low as to be almost inaudible. "Completely mad. What did you expect! That's what it's like when you're mad — I should know! After facing down… down…"

Jenny stopped.

Didn't go on.

Boe looked over at her. His face concerned. "Jenny?"

"I'm fine," Jenny dismissed. "It was a long time ago. And the monster's dead, now. Seo… got rid of him for me."

But Dawn could see a lingering terror in Jenny's eyes. Something that went so deep, it shook her to the core. Even now.

Dawn opened her mouth to ask, but Boe put an arm around her shoulders. Swept her away, and out of the room.

"Drop it," Boe said. "Really. She doesn't want sympathy or pity or anything. Just leave this alone."

"Leave what alone?" said Dawn. "What happened?" She tried to crane her neck back to see, but only caught a glimpse of Jenny sitting there, melancholic and still suffering through trauma, when Boe ushered her through a door. And closed it behind them.

"You know how Jenny was created, right?" Boe asked.

"Yeah, Martha told me," Dawn replied. "From a machine, to fight some war, right?"

"She was constructed from the Doctor's DNA," said Boe, "to do all the things he hated. Fight. Wield guns. Kill and slaughter, without question. Take orders and never answer back. Seo might have been constructed as a weapon, but Jenny… she was made to be a soldier. To take a conscious choice."

"But she chose not to," Dawn said.

Boe grinned. "Amazing, Jenny and Seo. Both of them. Constructed for death, and both put it behind them. Went on to do great things. Save so many." The grin fell away. "But… a while ago… someone decided Jenny should serve her original purpose."

"Okay," said Dawn. She shrugged. "I mean, that happens to Seo all the time, right?"

"It's different with Jenny," said Boe. "Seo never consciously chooses to become a weapon. But Jenny… if you want her to be a killer, again — you're gonna have to convince her." Boe sighed. "Someone tried. Someone she thought she could trust. And… it nearly destroyed her."

Oh.

"I tried my best for Jenny," said Boe. "A few times, I thought I'd fixed her. But… I didn't understand what was really happening to her. All I gave her was… a temporary respite. Nothing more."

"She said that, in the end, Seo…" Dawn offered.

"Oh, yeah, Seo has tons of experience with this kind of thing," Boe replied, with a laugh. A laugh that seemed almost like the old Jack, shining through. But with so many millennia piled on top of it. "You could say she's a pro."

"Because of the Powers-That-Be," Dawn realized. "Making sure everyone knows that Seo's a weapon. So everyone wants to use her."

"And the rest," said Boe, with a shrug.

Yeah.

Yet another thing Dawn wanted to punch those guys for.

"So, yep, Seo eventually came back," said Boe. "Worked out what was happening to her sister. Destroyed the problem. Saved Jenny. Brought her back to sanity." His eyes lingered back towards the area where he'd left Jenny. "Remarkable, Seo was, then. And Jenny is, now. Both… such remarkable people."

Now.

This time. When it was Seo who'd gone nuts.

And Jenny trying to bring her back.

No wonder Jenny had given up even her ship to try to fix Seo's mistakes. No wonder Jenny was so focused on — not just bringing Seo back from the other universe — but finding out what went wrong with her ninth regeneration. Why Seo became like this. How to fix it.

"Seo's madness was hard on Jenny, from the start," said Boe. "Brought back a lot difficult memories for her. A lot of trauma. And that was before you… said what you said to our Seo."

"I…"

"Seo's been dipping into Jenny's past," said Boe. "And mine. Trying to save people who didn't get saved. Our friends. Our family. The people we're still mourning, because we still can't believe they're gone." He took a long, deep breath. "Her way of proving to us that she _is_ God. That what she's doing is right. And we shouldn't stop her."

Dawn's eyes widened.

Geeze.

Was this what Dawn had done, convincing Seo she was God? Was all that due to Dawn, herself?

"Seo sent history into freefall," said Boe. "And if Jenny and I don't stabilize it… certain people will find a way to flood back into this universe and stop her themselves. Maybe even kill her. I don't know."

"But… what did you two do, in order to keep history…?" Dawn started.

But the look in Boe's eyes told her that she didn't want to know the answer to that question. Didn't want to know what they'd done.

"I'm sorry," said Dawn. "I didn't know."

Boe put hands under non-existent suspender straps. Then realized what he was doing, and dropped his hands to his sides. "I don't want you to stop me," he said, "when this gets to the end. And I do what I have to do. The other incarnations… they'll come back. We'll get them back. But… _our_ Seo…"

There was something icy in his eyes, now.

Something Dawn realized had never been there, in the Jack she knew.

"You're gonna leave her there," Dawn realized. "The Tenth Seo. You think she's too far gone."

"I lost Seo," said Boe. "I've accepted that, now." He hung his head. "But I'm not losing Jenny, too. I can't."

Dawn didn't know what to say.

"But… but… you can't!" said Dawn. "You can't just give up on Seo. Jenny isn't!"

"That's exactly the problem," said Boe. "Jenny won't ever give up. Not even if it drives her insane, too."

Dawn could see the bitter pain traced down every line of Boe's face. The pain of losing everyone he'd ever known, then having to go back and make sure they die all over again — for the sake of history. Undo every life Seo had saved.

No one knew how old Boe was, now.

But it had been a long, long time. He'd lived through more than Dawn could even imagine.

"That's my choice, Dawn," said Boe. "Either I give up Seo. Or I lose both Seo and Jenny, forever." He turned, headed out of the room. "Please. It's hard enough, already. Let me do what I have to."


	33. The Story of the Eighth Seo

* * *

_The moment Boe saw Seo and Jenny, again, the moment they'd left Oliver and arrived back to see him, he was flooded with relief. After all that had happened, all he'd seen Jenny do, the insanity that had overcome her… and Boe hadn't understood! He hadn't known…_

_But Seo had known._

_And somehow… in some miraculous way… Seo had brought Jenny back. Retrieved her from the precipice._

_Boe couldn't help himself. He ran over and swept Jenny into a tight hug. The girl he'd grown so fond of, over these millennia. The daughter of his best friend, his hero, and now… well, she felt like family. Boe's family._

_And he'd so nearly lost her._

_"It's not over, yet," Seo warned her sister and Boe, from her spot not far off. Seo's current incarnation was older, wearing a collared shirt and glasses. Her hair streaked with gray. "We might be out of the woods, but… people around here still remember what Jenny did. It'll be a different experience — out here, where there's people." She crossed her arms. "We don't want a relapse."_

_Boe knew the warning was for_ him _._

_He understood._

_"They might not recognize me," Jenny put in. Looked down at herself, her new body. "I have regenerated since then."_

_"And I don't want you to regenerate again, any time soon," Seo replied. "One suicide was enough, thank you."_

_Boe hadn't known about that._

_Wondered just what had happened to these two, when they were locked away from the universe. What had happened, what Seo had…?_

_"How long has it been for you two?" Boe asked. "How long since… you first… shut yourselves away in Seo's ship?"_

_Jenny clearly didn't know._

_Seo tilted her head, reflecting. "Seven… eight months?" she guessed. Sighed. "Maybe closer to ten."_

_So long!_

_If Seo was even telling the truth. And it hadn't been longer._

_Jenny's face went pale. As she realized… "Ten months…"_

_"But that doesn't matter," Seo put in, quickly. "If you need another ten months, or another twenty, I'll still be here." Gave her sister a soft smile. "Anything you need."_

_Now Jenny looked up. The hints of tears in her eyes. "Why?" she whispered. "I tried to kill you. I_ did _kill you! I even—"_

_"Because there's no one in the universe I'd rather be saving," Seo cut in, "than you."_

_Jenny_ hadn't _killed Seo, of course._

_Boe knew that._

_And it was what Seo kept repeating to Jenny, even now. Even when the settled down in the library of Boe's home, on Earth, to reflect on the past. Find peace, away from the mob and the crowds._

_"You didn't kill me; I gave up my seventh life for you," Seo was telling her sister, yet again. "And if I could do it over, I'd make the same choice."_

_"Seo gave up her life — voluntarily — to get rid of the monster that had taken over your head," Boe put in. "You really_ didn't _kill her, Jenny."_

_Seo flashed him a smile._

_Jenny huddled up, into herself. "The monster," she repeated. "The one who made me do all those horrible things. Made me think all those horrible… terrible…"_

_Seo put a hand on Jenny's shoulder. Smiled at her, when she looked up._

_"I know what it's like to be controlled like that," Seo reminded her. "Weapon, remember?" Winked. "People have been trying to do it to me my whole life."_

_Jenny didn't answer._

_"I told you, I gave up my life for you," Seo said. "And I'd do it again. Because you're my sister. And I think you're worth it."_

_"So would I," Boe put in._

_They both looked over at Boe. Who gave them a goofy, slightly sheepish smile._

_"No point being immortal if you're not gonna use it," Boe supplied._

_The sisters exchanged looks._

_And then burst out laughing._

_It was one of the first times they'd laughed since this whole thing had begun._

* * *

_It had begun with the end of Seo's seventh life._

_When Jenny's monster had reached beyond Jenny's mind, used Jenny to manifest in the real world. And Seo had tricked it._

_"…thing is, though," the Seventh Seo had told the monster, "Jenny's already run through seven of her lives. That's a pretty rum deal for taking over a Time Lady, if you ask me." She'd thought it over, then shrugged. "Too bad. If there were someone else nearby with six regenerations, you could take_ them _, too, and have yourself the full set."_

_And Seo had waited, as the monster that had used Jenny to survive long after it should have died — began to realize. Turn its attention towards Seo._

_Just the way that Seo had planned._

_"You," it had said, "are around."_

_Seo had made a half-hearted attempt to run. But she'd made it easy for the monster to catch her up. Easy for it to drain her lives. She'd been prepared._

_So the monster had taken them._

_Forced them from her, violently — leaving Seo panting, dying on the floor, no lives left and only death waiting for her. She closed her eyes, struggling to hold on just long enough…_

_A smile twitched at her lips, as the monster screamed._

_"Not really a Time Lady," Seo muttered. Coughed, trying to roll over and face the monster — but had no strength. "My regenerations… might be hard… to swallow."_

_The monster had screamed again._

_Then, in a fury, spat the regenerations back — desperate to be rid of them. It was a frantic attempt to save itself, and didn't work._

_For either of them._

_Seo felt the next regeneration ripping through her body, light tearing across every cell with a fury that clawed and bit and struggled to remain dominant. She tried to scream, as it burned away her lungs, her throat, her teeth…_

_And burned away the monster, too._

_When Seo sat up, again, looking around herself — new eyes, new face, new body — the monster was gone. Only Jenny — weak, feeble, used and discarded — remained._

* * *

_"You put something into your regenerations?" Boe guessed. "Something Jenny's monster couldn't swallow?"_

_Seo had already warned him never to say the monster's name. Not in front of Jenny. Not unless he wanted her to break down, again._

_That had been a lesson Seo had learned the hard way._

_"People always have trouble swallowing my regenerations," Seo replied. Shrugged. "I'm surprised the monster hadn't worked that out."_

_Jenny stared straight ahead of her. A distant look on her face. "I barely remember when you died," she admitted, in a quiet voice. "You… defeated…"_

_"You were too far gone, at the time," Seo told her. "The monster's manifestation drained you almost completely. When I first brought you into my ship, you couldn't even speak. You didn't say a word for the first two weeks we were shut up, together."_

_Jenny shuddered. "It's all so hazy."_

_It hadn't been to Seo, of course. Boe had been told, in private, earlier. What Seo remembered, so clearly. The way that Jenny had raced around the ship, hands in her hair, a desperate grief on her face. The way Jenny had howled, clawing at her head, as if searching for something she'd lost. Something she needed._

_"He'd made you dependent on having him in your head," Seo said. "Made you dependent on those darker emotions he brought out in your psyche — the ones making him stronger. Being severed from him was like… drug withdrawal. I don't think you were ever supposed to survive it."_

_Jenny put her fingers to her temples._

_She was clearly over the worst of the madness. But even now… just talking about it was enough to bring her to the verge of panic. As if she were worried that remembering it… would make him come back. Make the monster take over, again._

_"Maybe we should change the subject," Boe proposed._

_"No!" Jenny put in, hastily. Waved her hand. "No, I'm… fine." Planted a grin on her face. "It's good to talk about it. It… helps."_

_Seo wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders. Just allowing herself to be there for someone who so desperately needed her._

_"I just can't believe…! I mean, all that time," Jenny said, "I… I thought the monster was…"_

_"But he wasn't," Seo said. "Not at all."_

_"Thought the monster was whom?" Boe asked._

_Seo looked up at Boe. Cringed. "The one person she trusted enough to let him so deep inside her mind," she said. "Can't you guess?"_

* * *

_It had been the first words Jenny had spoken to Seo, onboard Oliver._

_How could Seo ever forget?_

_Seo had been busy trying to soothe Jenny, calm her from one of her fits, stop her tearing out her hair and telling her that she was all right, she was safe, and Seo wouldn't let anything hurt her again._

_And then Jenny had looked up._

_Glared right into Seo's eyes._

_"You killed him."_

_The words were like a slap across Seo's cheeks._

_"You killed him!" Jenny had shouted, jumping up and grabbing Seo by the shoulders. Shaking her, violently, like she wanted to break her in half. "How could you?!_ How could you _?!"_

_"It wasn't him!" Seo insisted._

_"Traitor!" Jenny had screamed, striking out at Seo with both fists. "Murderer!"_

_"It wasn't him, Jenny, it wasn't him!" Seo said. Caught Jenny's wrists in her hands. "Jenny, listen to me. Father is_ dead _. Whatever was in your head was just feeding off your memories of him, and using that to make you do whatever it wanted. It wasn't—!"_

_Jenny had screamed._

_Loud enough that Seo had to let go, just to protect her eardrums._

_"Liar!" Jenny said, grabbing up a nearby baseball bat that she must have found and concealed, earlier. She lunged forwards, swinging it, and Seo just barely managed to get out of the way in time. "Killer! Dad said you'd trick me like this! He said—"_

_"The monster in your head made you murder thousands of innocent people," Seo said. Rolling to avoid the baseball bat. "Torture and harm to get what you wanted. Declare yourself supreme ruler! Is that the kind of thing Father would have done?"_

_"That wasn't his fault!" Jenny screamed. "It was mine! He told me it was my fault, and I trusted him."_

_"You trusted a memory," Seo explained. She caught the baseball bat in mid-swing, and yanked it out of Jenny's hands. "A memory exploited by a monster who implanted himself inside your head, and tried to drain your brain dry, absorb your extra lives, and use you to manifest and gain physical form. All for his own selfish gain. Believe me, Jenny — anything that monster told you was a lie."_

_Jenny's eyes narrowed. Her teeth gritted. Fists clenched._

_"You," she hissed, "murdered Dad."_

_And how many nights had Seo cried herself to sleep, thinking those very words? Playing it over and over again in her mind, trying to find some way she could have stepped in, made him survive a little longer. Trying to think up some plan he might have had to get through it — a plan she could find if only she searched hard enough._

_But there was no plan. The Doctor was dead._

_And that_ wasn't _Seo's fault._

_"It wasn't really—" Seo started._

_But that was when Jenny pulled out a gun she'd somehow smuggled onboard. And began firing, randomly, crazily, still in the midst of hysterics._

_Seo had never bothered to create temporal grace circuits in her ship, before._

_She learned how to, now._


	34. the Story of the 8th Seo II

_Boe looked over at Jenny. Raising eyebrows. "You tried to shoot her?"_

_Jenny shuddered. "I don't remember bringing in any guns," she said. "The whole thing's so hazy. I… shot at…" She huddled into a tighter ball. "I could have hit…!"_

_"You did," Seo informed her. Then smiled. "But it's okay. I forgive you."_

_Jenny didn't answer._

_"She shot you?" Boe asked. Alarmed._

_Seo glanced over at him. "Why so surprised?" she asked. "You warned me she could kill me — when I first proposed locking her away in my ship. It's why you wanted to come, too."_

_That was true enough._

_Boe remembered… when Seo had come up to him, still sick from her regeneration, and told him that she and Jenny were going away for a little bit. And weren't coming back until Jenny was better._

_Boe had tried to stop them._

_Or at least tried to convince Seo to take him along, too. To protect her._

_Jenny looked up at Boe. "You wanted to come?"_

_"She wouldn't let me," said Boe, nodding at Seo. He'd hated staying behind, when Seo had left. It had all been too familiar, like that moment on the Valiant, at the end of the Year that Never Was. When the Doctor had been faced with the insane Time Lord who'd once been his friend, and vowed to keep him. Fix him._

_But Seo hadn't been onboard the Valiant at the end._

_And when Boe had brought it up, Seo had been ready to bite his ear off. Screaming that Jenny_ wasn't _the Master!_ Never _would be!_

_"You should have," Jenny told her sister. "If I'd shot_ him _, he'd have just come back."_

_"And you'd never have felt anything at all because of it," Seo argued. "That's what you have, Jenny. Compassion. It's what made you yourself, again."_

* * *

_Seo could recall the day she'd been shot. It had begun with Jenny somehow managing to destroy the temporal grace circuits, yet again. At which point Seo had run for her life, pursued by a hysterical, gun-wielding Jenny._

_Jenny had been carrying a SIG-Sauer P339._

_Seo had never been shot by a SIG-Sauer P339 before. But there was a first time for everything._

_As the bullet impacted, Seo toppled to the ground. Grasping her side, hands over the bullet wound. She'd been shot — by Jenny. The words kept going through her head, over and over again. Jenny had shot her. Jenny had shot her. So much blood, the world growing dizzy, and Jenny — her own sister — had…_

_"Blood," Jenny had said._

_The sound of footsteps running closer, and Seo wondered if Jenny would finish the job. She groaned. Rolled over, trying to beg for her life. Appeal to Jenny, once more._

_But then Seo had seen Jenny's eyes._

_They looked horrified._

_"You… you're shot," Jenny said. "You've been shot!"_

_That was a bit rich, coming from the person who'd pulled the trigger._

_"You shot me," Seo reminded her. Forcing out words through the pain. "With… that. SIG Sauer."_

_Jenny shuddered back. "He… he told me that — if he ever died — I had to kill you," she insisted. "It was an order! He said I should…!"_

_Seo didn't have the energy to protest._

_Or to react, when Jenny screamed._

_"Just following orders!" she shouted at herself. "Like a soldier! He said that's all I was, and he was right!"_

_"Jenny…" Seo whispered._

_"He was right!" Jenny cried. "All those horrible things —_ I _did them. I… I'm…!"_

_Jenny looked down at the gun in her hands. Her eyes lighting up, with a sudden idea._

_It took a moment for Seo to realize what Jenny was about to do._

_"No, Jenny!" Seo said, hauling herself up through the pain, to wrestle the gun away. "Don't…!"_

_But it was too late._

_Jenny had shot herself._

* * *

_"She killed herself?" Boe said._

_Jenny rocked back and forth. Hands around her knees. Eyes staring down, filled with awful memories._

_"It was what the monster implanted into her psyche," Seo explained. "The monster began chipping away at her morals lifetimes ago. Telling her that she had to do morally questionable things, because they were necessary. Playing on her trust of…"_

_"Dad," Jenny supplied._

_Seo nodded. "It explains Jenny's actions in her fifth incarnation. And joining the CIA in her sixth. I thought I'd convinced her to leave all their sketchy morality and start a better life, but… turns out, that just proved to the monster that it needed to get me out of the picture."_

_"And then I came along," Boe realized. "And gave it a way to do that."_

_Seo, again, nodded._

_"I… was so sure I had to drive her away," Jenny muttered. "I don't even know why I was so convinced… that_ she _was destroying Dad's memory. But I was. And after she left… I did everything the monster said."_

_"And as Jenny started to realize none of the deaths and devastation were necessary, after all," Seo continued, "the monster convinced her that_ he _was morally correct. And all the deaths and destruction were_ Jenny's _fault. Her own weakness."_

_"Just a soldier," Jenny said — echoing the memory of a thousand conversations with a monster. "An evil soldier. No better than a Dalek. I'm everything Dad despised. Everything Dad fought against. I had to prove myself to Dad — or die trying."_

_It was a heartless thing to convince her of. Boe knew it. Had seen her in battle, before, and had seen her reactions to it._

_"But you're not," Boe reminded her. "Doesn't matter how you were born — you're a lot more than 'just a soldier', now. You're a Time Lady, a universe-saver, practically a walking encyclopedia sometimes — with the amount of stuff you know…"_

_"And you don't need to prove yourself to anyone," Seo added._

_Jenny absorbed this. Nodded, slowly. "I know that, now," she said. Put a hand to her head, remembering things just out of her reach. "But it was just… that moment, when Seo went down, bleeding… and I realized I'd just shot… might have even just killed…"_

_Jenny had been overcome by guilt._

_By the horror of what she'd caused. And what the monster had made her do._

_She'd turned the gun on herself._

_"You thought I was never going to get better, after that, didn't you?" Jenny guessed, looking up at Seo. "After… I…"_

_Boe could see, from the look on Seo's face, that Jenny had guessed correctly._

_That Seo had had her doubts._

_And it was no wonder. Boe had figured out, from watching these two, a bit more about how regenerations worked. How strongly they were shaped by the last memory of the old life, and the first memory of the new one._

_If Jenny had regenerated when that final memory was clouded by insanity, and her first memory was full of the same…_

_Well, it was obvious what Seo must have thought, at the time._

_That there might not be any way back, for Jenny._

_"I wasn't thinking straight, back then," Seo assured her sister. "I'd just been shot, remember? I was woozy from blood loss, and barely pulled through, myself."_

_Jenny bit her lower lip._

_"You made it," Seo said. Took Jenny's hands in hers. "Remember that. You've gotten better."_

_And then Boe listened, as Seo went on. And he learned just what Seo had had to endure, to get Jenny to that point._

* * *

_If Seo had thought it'd been difficult, trying to stop Jenny committing homicide, it was nearly impossible to stop Jenny from suicide, again._

_Jenny had completely flipped. She'd realized that she'd been wrong to do what she'd done. And now, had to come to terms with all the horrible things that monster had made her do. Still completely convinced that Jenny, herself, had been the source of all of it._

_Seo hadn't dared close her eyes for a moment. Not even to sleep._

_She wasn't about to let Jenny run through all her lives like this._

_"I killed all those people!" Jenny had cried, one day, after Seo had tackled her to the floor. "Hurt all those worlds! I—"_

_"You had a monster in your head," Seo insisted. "It wasn't your fault!"_

_"It wasn't a monster, it was Dad!" Jenny shouted. Flailing. "Dad knew I was evil. He told me! Reminded me about that time we met Davros. About the destruction of the sun in the Typol System. Even your aunt, Seo — I'm the reason she's…!"_

_Seo gritted her teeth._

_"Trust me, my aunt_ wasn't _your fault," Seo said. She used all her strength to force Jenny back down onto the ground, so she couldn't move an inch. "I'm perfectly aware of who to blame for_ that _one. And I'll never forget it, long as I live."_

_Jenny tried to fight back, even harder. Tried to strike out, or reach for a weapon. Something she could use to kill herself, again. Just as the monster had programmed into her mind._

_"You've made mistakes," Seo said. "So have I! But neither of us is evil. If Father were alive, right now, he'd be proud of us both. I'm sure."_

_"He isn't! He wasn't! You don't understand!" Jenny screamed at Seo. She managed to free her right hand, striking out at Seo, trying to get free. "You'd never understand! It's how I was born! A genetic anomaly, created for blood and death! I'm—"_

_"And I was born a Weapon who could destroy universes," Seo snapped. Grabbing Jenny up by the wrists. "Get over it."_

* * *

_"But it took me a long time to get over it," Jenny recalled. Surrounded by Boe and Seo, in the library, on Earth, in the future. "I… don't even know how long. Hating myself for what I'd done. Hating myself for betraying Dad…" She paused. Then corrected herself with, "the monster pretending to be Dad. Both hating myself for being what the monster said, and hating myself for_ notwanting _to be it."_

_Seo nodded._

_"You… still thought it was the Doctor?" Boe asked._

_"I couldn't accept that it_ wasn't _," Jenny admitted. "It manipulated my memories and my guilt. I… thought…" She gritted her teeth. "I was so stupid! I gave in so easily! Just let that_ thing _manipulate me into doing…"_

_Jenny stopped herself._

_As she looked at Seo._

_"I'm… doing it, again, aren't I?" Jenny realized. "Blaming myself for what wasn't my fault."_

_"Yes."_

_"Blaming myself for letting…_ that monster _…" Jenny took a long, deep breath. Then forced a determined look on her face. "But I can't do that. What's happened has happened, and now… I have to deal with the consequences."_

* * *

_The next great hurtle, after Jenny had finally stopped trying to kill herself, had been when Jenny had finally accepted… that the creature inside her head hadn't been the Doctor._

_Had just been something evil, manipulating her using her own memories of him._

_"No wonder I'm evil," Jenny had said. "Anyone waltzes into my head claiming to be Dad, and I cave the first chance I get! Let myself be dragged around doing all sorts of—"_

_But Seo wasn't about to listen to that._

_"You didn't just 'give in'," Seo had tried to explain. She didn't want to get into all the theories she was contemplating about this monster. Not right now. Her hypotheses would only make Jenny feel worse. "Jenny, if I'm right, this monster has been inside your mind for a long time, now. Maybe even centuries! Always scrabbling to find a way to control you."_

_"And I let it," Jenny had said. Striking out at the ground, in an angry burst. "I let it because I'm a gullible fool! Because I—!"_

_Seo had grabbed up Jenny, making sure she couldn't hurt herself. "You begged me to help you," Seo reminded her. "You_ felt _it in there, Jenny. Remember that? A part of you knew, a part of you wouldn't stop fighting."_

_Jenny had gone very still._

_In a small voice, she'd whispered, "And that was when he wanted me to get rid of you."_

_And the moment Seo left, the moment she surrendered her ring… no one was left to hold back the darkness in Jenny's head. The monster became unstoppable._

_"I shouldn't have left," Seo had told Jenny. "I made a mistake. I accept that. But I'm not making the same mistake again." She stared right into Jenny's eyes. "I won't leave until you're better. Got that? Even if it takes a hundred years — I'm not leaving."_

* * *

_"She was right," Boe reminded Jenny, now. "You're not weak. If it had been anyone else… they'd have given in long ago. And would never have been able to recover." He glanced over at Seo. "Seo knows that more than most."_

_Seo went very still._

_Even now, she didn't like to talk about that._

_"I can't believe I thought it was…" Jenny shook her head. "How could I have been so stupid?! Dad would never have done anything like that! The murders! The deaths! The power struggles! That wasn't like Dad at all! He'd never have…!"_

_"What did the monster tell you?" Boe asked. "To make you believe he was… the Doctor?"_

_Jenny shuddered. "He said he wasn't really dead. Not really buried at Trenzalore. He said the tomb was empty — that he'd survived inside of me. Survived_ because _of me."_

_"Survived because of you," Seo repeated. Her brow furrowed, her mind thinking furiously._

_"But it wasn't true," Boe cut in, before Jenny could get any ideas. "It wasn't the Doctor. Just something that was using your memories of him. Using your trust in him."_

_That miserable monster, in Jenny's head._

_Using and abusing her memories of the Doctor for…_

_Boe wished the Doctor_ were _still around. The Doctor would have destroyed that monster in a thousand ways before it had been able to even think about hurting Jenny._

_Jenny turned to Seo. "But it won't, anymore," she said. "I don't need to worry. Because you killed it. You killed him."_

_Seo smiled._

_"How did you know?" said Jenny. "How did you work out what was really wrong with…?"_

_"Because I know this kind of monster," Seo said. Her whole face going dark. Her expression turning bleak. She looked away from the others. "I have… experience."_

_Jenny nodded, slowly. "When… you lost your mum."_

_Seo didn't answer._

_"You also…?" Jenny asked._

_"Yes," said Seo. She sucked in a sharp breath. "I've made your mistake before, Jenny. Anyone can. Even me. Even Jack."_

_Boe said nothing. Thinking of his long, long life._

_"Yes," he agreed. "Even me."_

* * *

_A week later, they brought Jenny out into the public. Let her begin to go out and save worlds again. Get back to being herself._

_"You did it," Boe told Seo. "Brave, brilliant Seo. You fixed her."_

_"She's my sister," Seo replied. "I had to."_

_Boe turned to Seo. Looking at her, fondly. His eyes creased with kindness and love and devotion. This wonderful girl, whom he'd come to admire so much over her life…_

_"It was my mistake," Seo insisted. "I left her when I shouldn't have. I had to—"_

_"You had to fix things," Boe cut in. "Like you always do." Put his hand on her shoulder. "Seo. My little miracle-worker. So many mistakes, but when you fix them… it makes you so much greater than the rest of us."_

_And he swore, in that instant, that he'd never lose faith in her._

* * *

_Boe never had._

_Until the Tenth Seo._

_Until now. When Seo had done what she'd done. When Seo had scraped open all of Jenny's old wounds, when Seo had pushed Jenny to the limit. He'd watched, over the course of Seo's madness, as Jenny began to break apart again. As Seo made her sister do horrible things…_

_Just the same way the monster had._

_Someone that Jenny had trusted so much. Betraying that trust. Hurting her._

_Boe had seen all of this._

_Realized what he had to do. Either give up Seo, or lose them both, forever. Jenny and Seo, the two he'd come to rely on so much, over the centuries. The millennia._

_He'd sworn he'd never give up Seo._

_But what choice did he have left?_


	35. Chapter 35

The Ninth Seo knew the most important thing was… she couldn't get involved.

Not at all.

Her father was dead, his life was over, his timeline set and unchangeable. Getting involved in any way could lead to drastic consequences. It'd be playing god with his life, and…

Seo was many things.

But she definitely wasn't God.

So she waited. Lingered in the shadows, waiting and watching as Peri initiated the actual escape. True, she probably shouldn't have been giving Peri pointers about what to do and where to go, but… well, surely she could bend the rules a little bit, right?

It was her father, after all.

Peri made a gesture, saying that she didn't know what to do.

Seo pointed, emphatically, at the panel beside her.

They could both hear the Doctor speaking in the background. Couldn't exactly hear his words — he was speaking a little too quietly for that. But he seemed pretty animated about something.

Peri opened the panel. Squinted. Looked confused. Then gave a shrug, and started jabbing at buttons. One of them had to release the Doctor at some point.

Seo slunk away into the shadows. Where she couldn't be seen.

Waiting.

* * *

The Doctor had listened to the two multi-dimensional beings as they described their war with "She Who Can Not Be Named". Listened as they described the many battles that were fought. Listened to accounts of 'Her' successes — her victory at the Battle of Urgoz Nutcolz; her conquest of the Vptorian Galaxy, the largest galaxy in the mortal realms; her domination of the winds of time through the first five dimensions, which had turned worlds like Bvotin into planets plagued with time storms and spacial warp areas.

"So, to summarize," the Doctor concluded, "your war was between the two of you, and her. Both with different tactics."

The others nodded.

"We fought using our powers as gods of this realm," the taller said.

"Which is to say that your tactics were to use the raw power of your multi-dimensional presence," the Doctor deciphered, "combined with the power you'd leached from anyone you killed, of course. And then you two roped in whatever passing monsters or mercenaries you could intimidate into following you."

"Yes," said the shorter.

The Doctor scratched his head. "Whereas _she_ , by contrast," he continued, "turned your universe into religious zealots. People who longed to die for her cause. While you were out being bullies and threatening to beat people up, she worked behind the scenes and united the people of this universe against you."

The two gods said nothing.

"You know, that is extremely clever," the Doctor remarked, a little smile on his face. "An army of zealots against an army of mercenaries? You two never stood a chance."

"But we won, in the end," the taller snapped.

The Doctor paused. Took this in.

"How?" he asked.

The taller and shorter faltered.

"We just… did," was the only answer they could give.

The Doctor smiled. "Ah. Which confirms my suspicions." He pointed at them. "You two _didn't_ win. You only _thought_ you did." When he saw only blank faces, the Doctor sighed, and spelled it out for them. "She _gave up_."

"She did not!" shouted the shorter. "We tore her down! We defeated—!"

"Oh, you two really are dense, aren't you?" the Doctor groaned. He put his hands into his coat pockets. "What did I just demonstrate to you? About the source of your power?"

The taller and shorter looked at one another. "That… it derives from mortals," the shorter said, at long last.

"Yes," the Doctor said. "The very same mortals your war was wiping out!"

He waited for them to get it.

But they still seemed none the wiser.

The Doctor threw up his hands into the air. "Oh, can't you work it out?" he shouted. "She did! Your war was at a stalemate! You could hack and slash all you liked, get those little surges of power you needed to bolster yourselves up for another attack — but all you three were doing, in the long run, was weakening yourselves. Getting rid of the very people who gave you power in the first place!"

Still, they didn't understand.

"Then why did she lose?" said the shorter.

"She needed something to break the stalemate," the Doctor said. "Something that would target the two of you, specifically, without killing off the rest of the universe and jeopardizing her long-term goals."

They both looked at him, blankly.

How stupid could these people be? No wonder they'd been such dunces in their war!

"She _wanted_ you to exile her!" the Doctor shouted. "It was a trap!"

The two looked at one another. Then shook their heads, in unison.

"Why?" said the taller. "It makes no sense."

"On the contrary, it makes perfect sense," the Doctor replied. "In fact, it's ingenious. Your reality has… what, 12 dimensions?"

He'd guessed right — based on the reactions from the other two.

"Well," the Doctor continued, "my universe has many more than that. You may be at the top of the food chain, here, but in my universe… there are those above even you. Immortals to crush the immortals. Along with a whole series of laws and rules and principles of physics that are anathema to your universe."

"Then she would be crushed," the shorter said.

"Or," the Doctor said, "if she was very clever — and she certainly sounds it — she would find a way to use all this to her advantage. Find something in our universe that could allow her to kill you for good. Then come back to _this_ universe. And bring that something with her."

_That_ got through to them.

They were shaking in their boots, now.

"What do we do?" the taller said.

The Doctor straightened himself, officiously. "You send me."

The two said nothing.

"Allow me and my travelling companion back to my own universe," said the Doctor, "and I'll find this… 'she' of yours. Track her down. Work out what she's planning. And disable her. She'll be harmless, you'll be safe, and no one will have to fret."

It was a good plan.

It might even have worked.

But the Doctor never found out, because it was while the two were deliberating, considering, trying to decide what to do — that Peri finally managed to rescue him.

* * *

"You know, Perpegilliam," the Doctor said, as they raced down the corridors of the castle. "You have a truly astonishing sense of timing!"

"If that's a thanks, then you're welcome!" said Peri. "If not, then move it, buster! We've got a universe to escape, here!"

They only just barely missed a flash of something, which burned a hole through the wall they'd just been passing.

"I still can't believe that all of this is because you asked them for tea!" Peri said. "Just goes to show you English people. Tea doesn't solve everything."

"I think it'd be best if we discussed our libationary preferences later," the Doctor replied, "and took this opportunity to _run in silence_?"

"As if you could ever be silent."

The Doctor's voice thundered. "As if I could ever be silent?!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "I'll have you know I am quiet as a mouse! I could be the quietest…!"

They stopped running, as they hit a dead end.

Turned, and noticed that their pursuers were already there. Standing as if they'd never been running in the first place. In addition, behind them, were a group of pimple-faced minions, all armed with weird-looking smoke weapons and things Peri had never seen before.

The Doctor raised up his hands. "All right, we surrender."

The two hell gods looked on at Peri and the Doctor, disinterestedly. Then they turned to go, waving their hand in disinterest, and sending a pulse of burning energy directly towards the Doctor and Peri…

Peri felt herself shoved aside, and toppled to the floor by a black-haired blur that had shot out of her hiding spot, thrown herself in front of them. Seo grunted, as the beam impacted with her, instead, and she crumpled to the floor.


	36. Chapter 36

"No!" the Doctor cried.

"Oh, God!" said Peri, climbing towards her. She tried to shake Seo awake. "Come on. Wake up. Please!"

"Still breathing," the Doctor noted. "She survived." He shot Peri a look that said, 'Friend of yours?'

But didn't need to iterate the point.

The two hell gods paused. Turned back, intrigued.

"You're still alive," they noted.

"Fortunately for us," the Doctor replied. "But did you have to do that?" He pointed at Seo. "What did this girl ever do to you? What did either Peri or I ever do to you? It was unnecessary. A cold, merciless act of senseless barbarism! What's more, it would have hurt you more than it hurt me, as I proved earlier!"

The two stared at Peri, who immediately took her hands away from Seo, and tried to pretend she wasn't doing anything even remotely suspicious.

"What… girl?" they asked.

"He means me," Peri assured them. "Girl. That's me! He's always calling me that."

The Doctor frowned. Looked from Seo to the two hell gods. And then seemed to get it.

"Yes, I'm always calling her that," the Doctor lied.

The two hell gods vacillated, but before they could decide anything, Seo made a gesture, and one of the minions, watching, caught the gesture at once. Nodded. Then turned around.

And went berserk.

Screaming and shouting and kicking up a huge fuss and pandemonium across all the minions that the hell gods for a moment seemed overwhelmed and unable to deal.

"I was right," Seo said, as Peri helped her up. "They're extremely weak. The war with Glory took it out of them. And things like the Stillness on Bvotin kept them that way."

Then Seo frowned. Stared a little bit harder at the wall by their backs, and reached out. Stroking the stones with her fingertips.

A little smile spread across her face, as she suddenly thudded a stone at the side, and part of the wall became gooey and squishy-looking.

"A secret passage," the Doctor remarked.

Seo grabbed Peri by the hand, yanking her through. "Inside! Now!"

It felt squishy and unpleasant to pass through, but Peri found herself completely dry on the other side. Could hear the two hell gods regaining control, and as the Doctor stepped through, he seemed a little frantic.

"We have to move," said the Doctor, racing forwards. "I'm afraid we've just lost our distraction."

Seo slammed her hand down on something on their side of the wall, and the squishy doorway became solid again. "That won't hold them long," she said. "Weakened or no, they're still stronger than us." Grabbed a torch out of her back pocket, shone it out down the tunnel. "Follow me!"

They ran.

"An LED torch running off triple-A batteries," the Doctor noted, pointing, as he ran. "The sort bought at Hannaford's Grocery Store, on Earth." He glanced up at Seo, curiosity written across his features. "Yet you found this secret passageway as if you knew what you were looking for."

Seo didn't answer for a few moments. Just stared at the ground.

"You know, Peri," the Doctor said, as they were running, "you never _did_ introduce me to your friend."

Peri hesitated. Not sure what to say.

But Seo cut in, before Peri had a chance to.

"I… can visualize things I can't… always… see," Seo replied. "It's a skill I picked up on Gorlai 7."

"The Mystic Seers of Gorlai," the Doctor acknowledged. "I've been there. Never had the knack for that sort of thing, myself, but…"

He stopped, as Seo seemed to trip over her own feet, and smacked hard onto the ground. The Doctor reached out to catch her, but Seo shuddered away from him, instead accepting Peri's help back to her feet. Seo's eyes fixed on the Doctor, unable to tear themselves away.

"You okay?" Peri asked Seo.

Seo shot her a pointed stare. "You know I'm not."

It sounded like she was trying very hard to keep her voice from shaking.

"Why don't you go ahead?" Peri proposed. "Scout out the way. The Doctor and I can stay back here. You know. Out of sight, out of mind!"

But it was pretty clear that there was no way Seo could forget the Doctor's presence. Or ignore it.

"I can't leave you two here," said Seo.

"Then we'll follow behind, out of your line of sight! And… and… and while you're walking, you can tell me about how you got that minion-thing to see you!" Peri really hoped this would take Seo's mind off things for a while. "I mean, I thought you were invisible or something."

Seo gave a little laugh. As she went on ahead. "I found a friend," she explained. "Ixit. That was his name. Did a little trick to alter his perceptions a bit, get him to see me. He seemed rather eager to help, once he knew I was there." She looked off into the distance. "Funny that."

"And you wouldn't want to explain why it is they can't see you in the first place?" the Doctor inquired.

Seo didn't answer.

"Or how, for that matter, you knew those two had fought against Glorificus?" the Doctor continued. "It took me quite a while to work that one out, myself, and I'm something of a genius."

Seo kept staring at the ground. Opened her mouth to answer. Then closed it.

Finally, in a very quiet voice, "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

The Doctor blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"I… I can't," Seo said. Her voice was breaking, now, and she ran faster — away from the monsters or away from the Doctor, Peri wasn't sure — trying to swallow past the lump in her throat. "I can't talk to you, anymore. I… just… can't. I'm sorry."

The Doctor's eyebrows raised, as he took this in. "I see." Then he turned to Peri, sharply. "Were either of the two of you planning to mention this timeline mix-up to me? Or were you just going to leave me to work it out on my own?"

Peri faltered. "I… don't…"

"To 'miss me' implies that the young lady up ahead already _knows_ me," the Doctor replied. "And since I don't recognize her, that can only mean I've somehow managed to meet her out of order. A temporal mix-up which might prove catastrophic!"

Peri should have known he'd figure it out.

That was the problem with having your best friend be really smart.

"Sorry," Peri muttered.

"Oh, Peri," the Doctor sighed. "You can't just hide things like this from me! You might think you're sparing my feelings, but actually, you're just making a mess! This sort of temporal mismatch takes finesse and delicacy to untangle. It requires effort and a certain amount of…"

He was stopped in his tracks, as Seo re-emerged, just in front of him. Staring deep into his eyes.

Then she ran forwards and threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. And began to sob into his shoulder. Unable to stop herself.

"I wasn't trying to spare _your_ feelings, Doctor," said Peri. "I was trying to spare _hers_."

The Doctor, once again, seemed completely taken aback. Not sure what to do, or how to react, now that a complete stranger had just hugged him desperately and proceeded to sob into his shoulder.

"Another reason," the Doctor muttered, "one never wants to pry too far into one's own future, I think." And decided he definitely did not want to know what action taken by future-him could possibly have provoked this kind of reaction.

Instead, the Doctor put on a slightly desperate smile, and tried patting her on the back.

"It's all right," the Doctor soothed. "You'll be fine. Whatever this is about, I'm… sorry."

Which only made her sob even harder.

"Peri," the Doctor said, trying to gently disentangle the sobbing girl from him. "Help me move this little temporally complicated confrontation into the TARDIS, please!"

* * *

The Doctor and Peri — that Time Lord and his human — had escaped into the walls of their castle.

But the two gods did not pursue them.

They stayed behind.

With Ixit.

Because the Doctor had implied that there was someone else present. Someone whom Ixit could see — but the rest of them couldn't.

The minion, Ixit, screamed and writhed under their tortures. But the gods didn't relent. They needed to know. Who couldn't they see? What was the nature of this trickery? Why couldn't they see this other person, and why was she there?

The minion had been loyal.

But even he broke, eventually.

Telling them the name neither had ever wanted to hear again.

"Glorificus," said Ixit. "It was… Glorificus. She was here. I _saw_ her!"

The two gods looked at one another. Realizing that the Doctor had been right. Glorificus had wanted them to exile her. So she could gain the upper hand. Infiltrate their palace unnoticed, invisibly. Incite rebellion amongst their minions.

"We have to catch her unawares," said one of the gods. "She's not ready to defeat us, yet, or she'd have destroyed us already. No — this time, she came for the Time Lord."

"To keep him out of our clutches," the other agreed. "Keep us from finding out what he knew. And to keep us from understanding how his physiology operated — and how it might weaken us."

They met one another's eyes.

And decided to use all their spare strength. And reach out across the multiverse — to pluck her out of reality. Bring Glorificus back here.

They'd have their revenge, before she could ever take hers.


	37. Chapter 37

The Tenth Seo now sat inside her cell.

Holding her head in her hands.

Squeezing her eyes shut.

"We know your plan," Destruction told her. "You _wanted_ to be exiled. To gain some new power over us, bring it back here — and take your revenge."

"But Glory _didn't_ ," the Tenth Seo said. "She just wanted to get back. Desperately. She was a complete wreck, by the end — even you two morons could have defeated her."

They didn't listen.

They never did.

"You weakened us before you left," said Chaos. "Temporally froze our strongholds. Made sure we couldn't draw upon enough energy to stop your forces from continuing to fight in your name."

"You wanted us weak," Destruction agreed. "You wanted us to cave the moment you returned for your revenge. The moment you fulfilled your plan."

"Tell us what you brought back," Chaos demanded. "Tell us the details of your plan."

"There was no plan!" Seo shouted. Glaring at them. "Glory was trapped inside a boy named Ben. It drove her insane. She tried to destroy the multiverse to get back here. Get that? No plans! No strategy! Just a stupid, crazy obsession!"

They took this in.

For a few moments, the Tenth Seo thought they might actually have believed her.

"You came here once before," Destruction said. "You used the girl Peri to weaken our powers even more. By destroying parts of the Garden. Then you, yourself, tried to insight revolution within our minions."

The Tenth Seo blinked.

"What are you talking about?" Seo demanded. "What Garden? I've never been here, before! And the only Peri I know is a warrior queen on Krontep!"

Chaos raised up the form of a long-dead, mummified minion, his eyes still wide with fear and horror. Perfectly preserved in that moment of betrayal and death — presumably so they could show him to her, at this moment.

"We discovered your ally," said Chaos. "We drained his new ability and his knowledge of you from his mind. You had wanted to use him to overthrow us. Give our minions… what were the words he used?"

"'Freedom and independence'," Destruction supplied.

Chaos wrinkled his nose at the very idea.

"That's what they deserve," the Tenth Seo replied. "Back in my universe, there's a whole planet populated by a race that used to be Glory's minions. They're now free and happy, building their own future and their own culture." She gave a soft grin, at the memory. "I always visit on the anniversary… of Mom's death. They have a ceremony, there. It helps me remember her."

"Your words are meaningless," said Destruction.

Which Seo translated to mean that neither hell god actually cared enough to figure out what she was talking about.

"The minions have no purpose to exist beyond us," said Chaos. "We are the only reason for them to be alive. Without us, they would simply… cease."

"Yet you gave this one thoughts of an 'independent existence'," said Destruction, raising the dead minion up higher. "Just as you attempted with the one we sent to you, this time. You tried to subvert us, weaken us so that you could destroy us upon your return. But we gained the knowledge from his mind."

Seo stared.

And then she remembered.

Like a slap in the face, all at once, it came to her. Overwhelming her. Swamping her. The memories of being here before, in her Ninth Incarnation. The memories of the Garden.

"Ixit," the Tenth Seo said. Recognizing him, even if her memories were still in a swirl. "You killed Ixit. You… you…" All color drained from her face. "You absorbed what I did to his mind. Modified yourselves and the others so that you could see me."

"Which only proves, Glorificus," said Destruction, "that any ally you have — we can destroy. Any advantage — we can overcome. Any perceived strength you've obtained — we will turn against you."

The Tenth Seo felt her head spinning. "What… what are you doing to me?" she asked. Tried to stop herself from hyperventilating, once more. As she began to remember things she knew she couldn't possibly be remembering. Wars and battles and people from worlds she'd never been to, in a universe where she didn't belong.

Seo shoved the thoughts away.

No.

She'd met Glory. Glory was dead.

"What is this, an interrogation tactic?" Seo demanded of them. "You're so sure I'm Glory, you plant fake memories inside my head until I confess?"

Chaos and Destruction looked at each other.

Confused.

"It won't work!" the Tenth Seo screamed. Hands against her head. "I know the truth! You won't break me that easily!"

"You will tell us what you've been planning, in the end," said Chaos. "Even if we have to begin your torture once more."

* * *

Dawn didn't make eye contact with Boe, when she re-entered the room. Just stood off to the side, looking on at Jenny. Not sure what to do.

Should Dawn tell Jenny that Boe was planning to leave Seo behind?

If Jenny knew what Boe was planning, she'd stop him. Hands down. But… what right did Dawn have to interfere? She'd interfered before, and look what had happened!

She could still remember what Boe had said—

_Either I let Seo go. Or I lose both Seo and Jenny, forever._

Hearing Jack's voice, no matter how old, saying those words… made something inside Dawn crumble. What was right, in this situation, and what was wrong?

"He told you, didn't he?" Jenny asked, without looking up from her work. "About what happened to me."

Dawn jumped.

Wasn't sure how to answer.

"I'm not doing this out of gratitude," Jenny said, turning her chair around. "I'm helping her because she's my sister. You know what that's like."

Dawn nodded.

Yeah.

She did.

"Seo likes to call me selfish," said Jenny, "for saving her life." She gave a grim laugh. "I suppose I am, sometimes. But I can't give up on her."

"But you have to let her feel _some_ pain, right?" said Dawn. "I mean, just going behind her back and fixing things without confronting her — it's enabling her bad behavior. You have to let her face the consequences of her actions."

"Without confronting her?" Jenny cried. "Are you joking?" She walked over to a chair bolted down to the ground. Put her hands around its back. "I built this for her. It looks like a normal chair, but if someone activates this…" She pulled a little button out of her pocket. Pressed it.

The chair immediately sprouted a huge amount of restraints.

"They're dwarf star alloy," said Jenny. "Too strong for even her to break. This one time, I actually managed to trap her in this chair. Tried to convince her to stop."

"It didn't work?" Dawn guessed.

Jenny sighed. "Seo," she said, "always able to escape from any trap." Reset the controls, and put the button down. "I fixed the loophole she used to escape, last time. Made the chair look different. When she comes back here… I'll secure her, again. Take her into my ship. Lock her up until she's better."

Boe, from not far away, arched an eyebrow at Jenny. Looking on at her, warily.

Dawn was starting understand Boe's concerns.

Jenny turned back to the displays. Trying to do something complicated looking. Her brow knit.

"I'm going to fix her," Jenny said, stubbornly. "I have to. She's my sister." She rewired a device. Then checked the readings again. "But first, I have to get her back to this universe."

"And if you can't?" said Dawn.

"Then I'm taking you up on your offer." Jenny's eyes darted over to Dawn. "You're going to send me there, too."

Dawn stared.

"I'm not leaving her," Jenny insisted. "She needs me."

Okay. And that must be why… Boe had spoken to Dawn, specifically. Why Boe had been annoyed that Dawn was here at all. And why Jenny had agreed to bring Dawn here in the first place.

Dawn opened her mouth to protest.

But Jenny's face erupted into an enormous smile. "Got it!" As she connected the last wire in, and sat down in the chair. Getting a better angle on the microphone. "Hello? Hello? Can you hear me? Am I getting through?"

The image on one of the monitors began to clear. Showing a very fuzzy view of… a white-looking room with round ovals on the wall. A guy wearing a really ugly-looking patchwork coat. And a ghostly image of a girl who looked in her late twenties, with long black hair and blue, intelligent eyes.

The girl responded to Jenny's voice, as if instinctively.

And Dawn realized who this had to be.


	38. Chapter 38

The Doctor had dematerialized the TARDIS the moment they'd entered the ship. "Too risky, hanging about," he'd said, as he'd flipped and switched and poked. "Either of them find a way into this ship, and it might prove disastrous."

"I thought the TARDIS was impregnable," Peri insisted.

"The three hell gods from this universe have powers that transcend our normal rules of reality," Seo — in her Ninth incarnation — explained. "They could force the TARDIS doors…" She clicked her fingers, "easy as that."

The Doctor snapped his head up to her. "You're certainly well informed," he observed.

Seo didn't say a word.

The TARDIS shook, and the Doctor struggled to steady it. "Old girl doesn't like time in this reality," the Doctor muttered. "Not what she's used to."

He managed to steady the TARDIS.

Then turned to Seo.

"Now," the Doctor said. "Before we head home… there's the question of what to do with you. And our little timeline problem."

Seo didn't answer.

"What are you going to do?" said Peri. "Erase your own memory?"

"I'm hoping," the Doctor said, "to avoid that particular situation." He gave a small huff, then muttered, "Where Time Lords are concerned, I always prefer to keep my memories. Just in case."

"Very wise," said Seo.

The Doctor studied her, carefully. It was clear, from his eyes, that his mind was still trying to work her out. Even if he knew he shouldn't. "You know the Time Lords, then?"

Seo didn't answer this.

"No, quite right, don't answer," the Doctor decided. "That's one thing going in our favor. So far, you've been quite discreet. Aside from a few…" He cleared his throat, awkwardly, "…emotions…" cleared it again, "…you've been silent about anything too damaging."

"I'm not mad enough to do something like that," Seo pointed out.

Adding, in her own mind — _Not yet_.

She still didn't understand what would cause her to go mad, in her next life. She knew it would happen. The truth was plain for any to see. She'd known she was doomed to go mad by her tenth incarnation for quite a while, now.

But she'd always assumed, by this point, she'd understand why.

Yet still. Nothing.

"So. Let's start at the beginning," said the Doctor, crossing over to her. "When I first met you, did I give any indication that I recognized you? Anything at all? Did you suspect I might be just _acting_ like I didn't remember you, even though I'd seen you before? Or…"

"I don't think that'll be a problem," Seo cut in.

The Doctor paused. "You… don't?" he said. Then stubbornly stopped himself from trying to work it out. "You don't. Yes. I see. Well."

Peri looked between the two. Then, in a small voice, "You know, I think maybe… you two should have some time together. Just… to catch up."

Seo gave a little smile.

Yes. Seo could see it, now. The warrior queen she'd met on Krontep — the one who'd been so willing to trust her, had stuck up for her and fought for her, even when no one else would — that hadn't been just someone _similar_ to this Peri. It had been the same person.

Now, here she was. With a younger Peri…

And a younger Doctor.

So many timelines Seo had crossed… so many things she wanted to say. And she couldn't say any of them.

No.

Focus, Seo!

She had to get a grip on herself. Collect her thoughts. This wasn't just a timeline mix-up, after all. This was all… some plot. She'd been sent here because of… because of… yes! Because of the Matrix! She'd been gathering fragments of the Gallifreyan Matrix. Had found a fragment which had… had informed her… that…

Except every time she tried to think about that, she'd catch another glimpse of her father. The way he looked at her, all curious and interested, like he was trying to work out a puzzle. So much like he'd done back when he'd been alive.

She'd forgotten just how much she'd missed him.

How big a hole was left in her life when he'd died forever.

How could she think clearly, when that grief kept pouring through her head?

Peri left the room.

And Seo couldn't help herself. Just ran over and swept her father into another hug. Not wanting to let him go. Not ever wanting to let him out of her sight again.

He was alive.

Oh, she just wanted him alive again! Wanted it more than anything!

The Doctor struggled to extricate himself from her embrace. "Now, really, this is getting us nowhere," he insisted. "You and I, young lady, need to have a serious chat about this current problem, and how we're going to solve it. That's difficult enough without you… constantly… embracing me."

Seo controlled herself. Stepped back.

"I… I understand," Seo said, trying to make sure her voice didn't shake. "You're right. I just…" Her lips broke into an involuntary smile, eyes watering up. "Seeing you again…"

"And that'll be enough of that," said the Doctor. "Now. Of the many things about this that are bothering me, one thing stands out most of all." His eyes narrowed. "You."

Seo shuffled. What had he worked out, already?

"You," the Doctor repeated. "You're clearly not in this universe by choice. Arrived without any vessel I can see. You were — if your reactions to my voice were any indication — not expecting me to be here at all. And yet… the improbability that the two of us would intersect, out of order, in another universe… well, it can't possibly be a coincidence."

"Agreed," Seo said. Shook her head. "But… you don't need to worry. I'm pretty sure I know who sent me here. And why. It's not your problem; it's mine. I'll make sure it stays that way."

The Doctor thought this over. "Well, I certainly hope so," he replied. "Because _I_ was sent to this universe by the Time Lords. And — believe me — they do not act kindly towards those who meddle with the Laws of Time." He looked down at the TARDIS controls, irritated. "Last time it happened, I was put on trial. And I have no wish to do _that_ again."

Seo froze.

As it all came together in her mind. "Trial," she repeated. "The Matrix. The trial!"

"I'm sorry?" said the Doctor. "You mean… the Matrix on Gallifrey? You know of such a thing?"

But Seo was thinking fast, now. "I thought it was my sister," she said. "Or me. But it's _you_! Oh, it makes sense — who sent me here, who sent you here! Why the emotional amplifiers were so strong, to try to make me accidentally give something away about your own future! Why Peri's here! We've all been manipulated — to get at _you_."

The Doctor was now looking more curious than ever. "Someone… is manipulating me?"

"But it won't happen," Seo decided. Staring into his eyes. "It can't. I won't let it."

"Won't let…?" the Doctor started.

He was interrupted by a crackle that resounded through the air. A crackle coming from the TARDIS central console, itself. A crackle that resolved itself into a faint voice.

The voice was unfamiliar.

But the touch of the mind that came with it… filtered through the ring around Seo's finger… was someone Seo could never forget.

The Doctor turned, his face growing even more curious. As he tried to unravel this latest mystery. But Seo wouldn't let him. This was his past, and it had to stay the same. She wouldn't let anything happen to him, not if it was her own fault.

"I'm sorry," Seo said.

The Doctor began to turn back to face her. But she'd already slid her hand into just the right position to give him a Gallifreyan sleeper-hold. And he passed out, in her arms.

Seo lay him down on the ground. Tapped a small kiss to his forehead.

"Never forgot you," Seo said. "Never will. Best hero the universe ever had."

Then she got up. Headed back to the central console, and began working at the controls frantically. Trying to finish what had begun — use the TARDIS to unscramble the multiversal communications ability within her ring, and establish proper contact.

There!

Got it.

"Jenny," said Seo, as the face blinked up onto the TARDIS scanner. She paused. Then realized. "Please tell me that's a new face. I've crossed too many timelines, today, already. I don't need to cross another."

"Sorry," said Jenny. "I'm from your future."

The Ninth Seo slowly let this absorb. Then narrowed her eyes. "You shouldn't be contacting me. Especially not using Father's ship. You're putting everyone in danger!"

"I had no choice," said Jenny. "Seo, you're already in danger. You've been dragged to that universe multiple times. In your past incarnations."

That was true enough.

Seo could feel the memories sliding into her mind. Creeping and crawling there, then lingering. New memories, from an altered past.

"The other incarnations have to get back," said Jenny. "And you're the only one who can do it. Your first self was traveling with your aunt, and I've brought her with me, to Earth, but—"

"Don't you dare," the Ninth Seo warned. Her voice low, bordering on vicious. "You know what could happen to her, if you use her to drag me back. I won't thank you for that; not in any incarnation."

"I wasn't planning on it," Jenny snapped. "I'm trying to find another way! And I think I know the answer."

"Enlighten me."

"You've intersected with Dad's timeline, when he was on a mission for the Time Lords," said Jenny. "Those Time Lords are going to make a tunnel for him, so he can get back here. Using the TARDIS, you can reactivate the rings on all your other selves. To let them all use that same tunnel."

The Ninth Seo froze. Stared at her sister.

"You want me to… what?!" she cried. "Cross that many timelines, in that many ways?! Are you mad?!" She leaned over the console. "Don't contact _those_ Time Lords; contact _ours_! They might have their flaws, but they'll fix this. After all — I've been thrown into Father's past. And you know how the Time Lords are when people interfere with Father's past!"

"And when your Tenth Incarnation interferes with her own past, by bringing you there ten times?"

The Ninth Seo recalled all the memories that had grown inside her head, since she got here. Winced.

"Point taken," she muttered.

"Which means that we either use your aunt," said Jenny, "or you use my way of getting back. And no clever last-minute ideas, Seo — we don't want you wiping your own memory, or dying on the trip back home!"

Wiping her own…?

Seo froze. Suddenly staring, in horror, at the Doctor — her father — lying peacefully on the floor. Breathing. Alive. And she knew what would happen if… if…

Her hearts sank. As everything became clear to her. As the Ninth Seo knew what she had to do, next. What would result from it. And what it would mean for her next incarnation.

"Wiping my own memory," Ninth Seo repeated. "I'm not going to remember any of this, am I? Nothing about even entering this universe." She could see the future spiraling out before her, as she knew it had to go. And see how she'd get there. "This is how it happens. How I go mad. And I can't stop it."

"No, Seo, you're going to be fine!" Jenny insisted. "I've fixed it! You don't need to wipe your memory. You don't need to use the Key-part of yourself to return. You'll remember everything, and won't go mad! You'll…"

But Seo knew Jenny didn't understand.

And how could Seo tell her? What could Seo tell her? How much could Seo even manage to speak aloud, without losing her courage and chickening out?

"I'm sorry," said Seo. Cutting Jenny off. Eyes resting on the controls, as she fiddled with the TARDIS. "But this was always coming. It's what has to happen."

"Seo, what…?!" Jenny cried.

"I've used Father's TARDIS to unlock the rings from my other incarnations," said Seo. "Contact them. If I use the TARDIS telepathic circuits to boost my own mental signal, they can all latch onto my mind. That way, when I go home… they'll go home, too."

"What are you planning to do?" Jenny demanded. Now a little panicky. "Seo, what are you—?!"

But Seo cut off the communication between them.

No use delaying the inevitable.

"Courage, Seo," she told herself, getting to work. "You know… this is the right thing to do. The only thing left."


	39. Chapter 39

"STP," the First Seo repeated, as the three were busy handing out the vaccine. "I remember that from somewhere. Hart! He mentioned it. I never thought I'd be part of it, though, in my own future. What is it, anyways?"

The Second and Third Seos met one another's eyes.

"Don't look at me," said the Second Seo, holding up her hands. "I'm not responsible for her finding out any of this before she should! Blame our mad incarnation."

Three sighed. "Can't believe we're gonna go nuts," she muttered. "We better not turn evil, too — or I'll have to track down future-us and give her a serious thumping."

"I was thinking we should do that anyways," Two replied.

Three raised her eyebrows. "What? Are you serious?"

"How else will we get back?" the Second Seo asked. "We don't even have Oliver here with us. If she brought us here, she's the one who should return us."

Which was when the message hit them.

_Seo! Seo! It's Jenny. You there?_

"Jenny!" cried the three Seos, together.

"We still keep up with her in the future?" the First Seo asked.

The other two shot their baby-counterpart a pointed look.

"She's our sister," said Two. "Of course we do."

Jenny's telepathic signal came through, again:

_Listen. The Ninth Seo has a plan to get you back, using your rings._

"Baby-Us doesn't have a ring," the Second Seo pointed out.

"Uh… I'm guessing if she's been around Aunt Dawn enough, recently, that probably won't matter," Third Seo said. Shrugged. "That kind of energy… rubs off on you. Know what I mean?"

_When you feel Ninth Seo in your heads, let her in,_ Jenny finished. _It's your only way back to your own universe._

The First, Second, and Third Seos all smiled at each other.

They were going home!

* * *

The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Seos at first assumed that the mental trick hadn't worked. The half-formed creatures kept lumbering towards them, growing more and more solid every time. The ship still remained on-course for the next area of the galaxy that showed signs of life. And the wind showed no signs of giving up its purpose.

Then the creatures solidified.

And cried out.

The Seos all looked out. Watching as the ship around them seemed to twist and turn, bending in a stream of energy it couldn't control. As the creatures formed in the shape of the Manfor Legion all dropped to their knees, moaning.

"What… what… is happening?!" the Eternal Army thundered, through the air.

The Fourth Seo beamed. "Each humanoid body of the Manfor Legion," she explained, gesturing at the group in front of them, "is composed of thousands of tiny worms, all wriggling together in a cluster."

"The key being the word 'thousands'," Six agreed.

"Get all those thousands together," said the Fifth Seo, "and — in this universe — all sorts of physical properties would start changing."

The Eternal Army roared, again. "This is impossible!" they cried. "Our equipment filters out blueprints that could—"

"But that filter is the bit that's broken," Fifth Seo replied. She grinned. "Knew there was something dodgy about that fusion engine!"

The Eternal Army howled, as the fabricated parts of the ship seemed to melt away, vanishing into nothing…

And then…

Silence. As every manufactured body, every manufactured façade, every whisper of the wind faded away. And was gone forever.

"Now what?" said Four.

"Now nothing," said the Sixth Seo. "The Eternal Army is gone. Life can evolve in this galaxy once again."

"I meant what happens to us?" said Four. "How are we supposed to get back?"

As if some divine presence had heard them… as if providence was waiting for those very words…

A buzz through their minds. A signal.

_Jenny calling Seo! Jenny calling Seo! Can you hear me?_

"Jenny!" Fourth Seo cried. "Best voice in the world to hear!"

"Future Jenny," Sixth Seo noted. Exchanged a look with her Fifth self. "Interesting."

"Very," Fifth Seo agreed. Then, to Jenny, "What's up? Got some way to get us home?"

A pause.

Then another buzz from Jenny:

_I've made contact with the Ninth Seo. She's got a plan. When you feel her in your heads, let her in. She'll drag you back._

"And in the meantime," said the Fifth Seo, launching herself at the controls, "let's get this thing to self-destruct for real. One ship at a time. Make sure it can't cause any more mischief." She poked and prodded. "Hope I can find the timer on this thing."

"Hope you can get it timed right, if we're relying on the Ninth us for a lift," Sixth Seo muttered. "We're not known for being punctual, after all."

* * *

Turned out, when the Seventh and Eighth Seos managed to restart time, again, across the planet, they discovered Bvotin was the furthest in time away from the war with Glory.

Further than even the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Seos, in the Vptorian Galaxy.

The Seventh Seo only worked that out while using some long-range scanning equipment. "Whatever we did in the Vptorian Galaxy, it worked," she offered. "That galaxy's teaming with life, now."

The planet Bvotin had been stuck in a pocket of slow-time for so long, the rest of the universe had passed it by.

But not anymore.

It had been difficult to explain to the people what had actually happened. That their system for mapping time had actually been causing time's destruction. But it turned out… when Seos Seven and Eight had done their job correctly — there _weren't_ any more currents of time.

Time ran at the same rate everywhere on the planet.

And at the same rate as the rest of the universe, now, as well.

"You… saved us," the cyclone scientist realized. "But… but how…?!"

"We're just brilliant," Seven assured him. And just to prove her point, she gave him the best snog he'd ever had. "See?"

"I… err… yes," the scientist admitted. "Quite."

The world's restoration caused all their communications to start working again. Convinced everyone that Seo had been telling the truth, and they really _had_ been frozen in time.

Which led, naturally, to a party.

A celebration of Seo!

"I love parties!" the Seventh Seo cried. "Especially ones with cake!"

"And blonds," Eight muttered. "I remember that."

"Always good to have some eye-candy with your real-candy," Seven replied.

The Eighth Seo didn't have much of a chance to resent her former self for her mistakes. Was too busy being bombarded with questions about how she and the Seventh Seo had managed to solve it. What had really happened.

"Listen, listen!" the Eighth Seo told all the others. "We've fixed this. It'll all be fine, but… you have to realize. These so-called 'gods' of yours. They can't see you most of the time. They're just guessing what you're up to."

The crowd was confused.

"The reason they keep manipulating your lives," the Eighth Seo explained, "is because they _have_ to, in order to properly perceive you. Understand how you operate and what you're doing. _You_ give _them_ meaning, not the other way around."

"But they're gods!" said one of the cyclone guys. "We're just little people."

"And a thousand little people have the power to change the laws of physics," the Eighth Seo told them. "Think about that."

They also got to meet up with Flitchor, again.

Who was absolutely amazed that they'd managed to set everything right.

"But you should have frozen!" he insisted. "I was certain you were dead! I _mourned_ you!"

Seven laughed. "We told you, we're not _from_ this universe!" she reminded him. "The time distortion doesn't affect us! Because we don't follow your rules."

"But you still cannot touch the Garden," came another voice.

They all turned.

"Oh, it's Mad Uxyltot," the cyclone-scientist muttered. "He's nuts! Always going on about doomsday and the end of the world and some lunatic prophecy about a machine that would… stop… time…" The scientist faltered. Realizing what he'd just said. "Huh."

"You," said the Mad Uxyltot, the prophet. "Two facets of the same person. Two slivers of time that should never have met! You will be in the Garden. But you will need a human to affect it. Because you follow the Garden's rules, just as you follow the rules of our realm. A different set of rules, but still ones from this universe."

Seos Seven and Eight just stared at him.

Wondering what he was going on about.

But that was when the telepathic message struck the Eighth Seo. Loud and clear: a message from Jenny.

_Seo! Can you hear me?_

"Jenny!" Eight cried.

"Jenny?" Seven asked. "But why can you hear her, when I…?" Looked down at her hand — ringless. "Wait. Just answered my own question."

_Your ninth incarnation isn't far off from the two of you, temporally speaking. She's found a way to get you back. Just link to her mind._

" _Ninth_ -us is saving us?" said Eight. "Not… _Tenth_ us? The one who _brought_ us here?"

The Eighth Seo was not looking forward to her Tenth incarnation. Not in the slightest. And every time she died, it was getting closer. And closer. And closer.

"And what about flirt-zilla, here?" Eight continued, pointing at her Seventh self. "If this is all filtered through our rings, how's _she_ going to get back?"

_Have her grab on, or… I don't know! You'll think of something!_ Jenny seemed distracted. _I've got to go._

And she did.

Leaving Eight and Seven to figure out how to get them both back to the real universe — with only one ring between them. And leaving them to ignore the cyclone-prophet.

Who laughed, hysterically, as they worked.

"The end approaches!" the prophet cried. "The ninth leaf falls. All eyes turn to another story. The story of the Tenth."

* * *

"That's almost all of them," said Jenny. She gritted her teeth. "Except our Seo. The Tenth. I can't get through to her."

Boe didn't answer. His face was blank.

Jenny turned on him. "Do you know anything about this?"

"Jenny," said Boe, very quietly, "I didn't do it. I didn't have to. She made the choice for me."

"What are you talking about?" Jenny demanded.

Boe pointed at the screens and readouts. "Your sister won't let you contact her future self," he said. "She blocked her future-self out. Because she knows what'll happen, in her next incarnation — and doesn't want you to suffer for her."

"No," Jenny insisted. Slammed her hand down on the controls in front of her. "No! I won't lose her! Not like this!"

"We've already lost her," said Boe. "She's not coming back, Jenny. I'm sorry. But it was her own choice."

Jenny didn't look like she wanted to accept it. Didn't look like she could.

"She never let me go," Jenny said. "When I was a lost cause. She stayed with me the whole time. She fixed me!"

"You were never a lost cause," Boe said. "I never believed that about you. Not like…" His eyes flicked to the monitor, which displayed the incarnations of Seo. Their time-streams flickering, as they joined the psychic network. Just as the Ninth Seo planned.

Dawn knew what he didn't have the courage to say.

Not like her.

Not like Seo.

"You can't," Jenny said. Her breath coming faster.

"You've seen what she's done, Jenny," Boe snapped, his voice hard. "What she'll do, if she returns. She'll tear apart our lives and our pasts, moment by moment, forcing us to relive everything all over again! Make our worst decisions for a second time! Do you think you could survive that and remain sane? Because I can't."

Jenny's breath came even faster.

"And the moment we fail," Boe continued, "they'll come back through the gateway and take drastic action. Maybe even make sure she never existed in the first place! At least this way… time is stable, and Seo's still alive, somewhere."

Jenny just stared at Boe. "No," she decided. Attacking the machinery in front of her, frantically. "No! I'm not just going to leave her…!"

"The last sane version of Seo wanted to protect you, for when she went insane," Boe insisted. "She did this deliberately! For you!"

"I can't believe that!" Jenny shouted. Frantically pawing at buttons, trying in vain to do the impossible. "I can find our Seo! Use Dad's TARDIS myself, to reactivate her ring. Patch her into the network! I can…!"

But it was already too late.

The Ninth Seo had already started. The TARDIS was returning, along with eight other versions of herself.

Leaving her Tenth self behind.


	40. Chapter 40

The Ninth Seo bent down, and disconnected the base of the central console. She knew she'd recognized something about the person who'd been on trial, in that fragment in the Matrix. Now she knew the truth. And understood what she had to do.

She remembered those CIA bullies… the ones who'd screwed up the Time Lords' attempt to renew the Doctor's regenerations on Trenzalore… the ones whose bureaucratic, egotistical, cover-up-everything ideals… had…!

Yes.

It all made sense, now.

Someone was working very hard to frame the Doctor.

Seo could guess who.

Who'd sent both him and herself to the same universe, at the same time, so they'd both break fundamental laws of time. Who was trying to force the Doctor to cooperate with hell gods, possibly even make it seem like he was helping them to invade his home reality!

"But everything that's happened in this universe has been recorded in _you_ , hasn't it?" said Seo to the TARDIS. "And only you. Until the moment you return to our universe, when you sync up with their Matrix. This whole trip will be used to frame Father. _I'll_ be used to frame Father." Felt a terrified breath catch in her throat. "But I can't let it happen. Doesn't matter about the consequences to myself. I… I have to…!"

That was when Peri entered the room.

Stopped in the doorway. Staring at the fallen Doctor. "What?!"

Seo ignored her. Began racing around the central console. Adjusting and changing and rewiring and trying to lock onto all of her earlier selves. Trying to get up the courage to do what she needed to. To meet the destiny that was waiting for her.

Peri raced over to the Doctor, but Seo brought out a gun from her pocket. Pointed it at Peri.

"No closer, or I fire," Seo warned. "Don't wake him up; I can't let him stop me."

Peri put up her hands, instinctively. Then paused. Squinted. "Wait, that's a water-gun!"

"Let me put it this way," Seo replied, turning to face Peri, hand on her hip. "I've got a water-pistol full of the worst-staining wine you could imagine. And you're wearing a white designer jacket." She raised the gun higher, finger on the trigger. "One move in the wrong place, and you'll have a laundry-disaster on your hands."

Peri backed away from the Doctor. "Okay. Okay! I'm complying."

Seo smiled. "Good." Tossed Peri the water pistol. "Do me a favor and shoot yourself if you step out of line. I need both hands free."

But she knew Peri wouldn't listen to her.

Knew it was just a matter of time before Peri woke the Doctor up. Before he came to, saw what Seo was doing, and tried to stop her. Knew she needed both hands because she couldn't pause, not even for a minute, or she might have second thoughts about this.

The TARDIS hummed with telepathic energy. Seo feeling the connection of more and more of her selves, tuning in.

Peri stumbled back. "What's going on?"

Seo didn't answer. Knelt down by the central console, undoing the electrode bits on her wrist strap. Fishing around, inside, for just the right spots to plug it in. So she could do this exactly right.

"Doctor!" shouted Peri, as she shook him. "Doctor, wake up!"

Seo pushed herself onwards.

Don't stop.

Don't second guess.

Just do it. For Jenny. For Father. For the universe that was Seo's home.

The Doctor came to. Groggy. Confused. "What… where…?"

Then he spotted Seo. His eyes taking in what she was doing, as she connected the TARDIS internal matrix directly to her own mind. Connecting them together, so tightly that even the TARDIS would be able to pick her up.

Across all her lives.

The Doctor knew what that would mean.

"No!" the Doctor shouted. Leaping to his feet. "Stop her! She's…!"

But too late.

As Seo reached up, pulling the TARDIS dematerialization lever.

Sending the TARDIS home.

Sending her past incarnations home.

And sending this self to her certain death.

* * *

Dawn watched as, one by one, the warning lights to all Seo's incarnations flickered off. As the incarnations were returned. As they came back to this universe.

A flash!

And then the blond Seo, short and Buffy-looking, with the freckles and those inquisitive brown eyes, appeared just before them. Breathing heavily, as her hands clasped her head.

She screamed.

Then her eyes closed, and she fell. Toppled to the ground, unconscious.

Boe just barely managed to catch her in time. Stood, for a long while, with that First Seo in his arms. The one he'd protected so many times. The one he'd always stood up for.

And Dawn realized what had changed since when she'd known him. Was able to place that look.

It was the look Dawn remembered from the Doctor. When he fell into one of his self-blame cycles, and you could just see — deep in his eyes — that, sometimes, he just hated himself.

Dawn came over. Took her first Seo from him.

"What happened to her?" Dawn asked.

"Must be… from crossing the Void," Boe decided. "Shock factor. It's enough to drive anyone mad."

Jenny stood aside. Watching them, through hopeless eyes.

Then she sighed. Utter devastation running through her. As she finally gave up.

"Are they all going to be like that?" Jenny asked. "When… all of her… come back?"

Boe considered. "Probably," he said.

"Then you'd better go make sure she's all right," said Jenny. Taking the Vortex Manipulator off her wrist. "In her past, I mean. Since… there's nothing we can do for our Seo, anymore." She handed it to Boe.

Boe didn't take it. Just watched her, intently. "You sure you're all right?"

"She's gone," Jenny said. "I understand that. It…" Jenny swallowed, hard. Looking over her shoulder, at the blank monitors. "It makes it easier, knowing she wanted it this way. Back when she was sane, I mean."

Boe still seemed uneasy. Didn't want to leave Jenny.

"Someone needs to rescue her eight times over, now," said Jenny. "If she's reappeared where and when she should be, screaming and then falling over. Especially… her Fourth self. If no one shows up to save her when she reappears during the Trothanian War, she'll be killed for sure."

That got Boe.

He winced in visible pain from that smart.

"As long as you're sure you're all right," Boe said, taking the Vortex Manipulator from Jenny.

"It'll hurt," Jenny said. "But I've been through worse. At least… this way… she's still alive."

Boe turned to Dawn. Gave her a look that instructed her to look after Jenny. Then strapped the Vortex Manipulator to his wrist, programmed it.

And vanished.

Dawn was expecting Jenny to immediately rush off and do something, as soon as Boe was gone. But she seemed still resigned to what had happened. Helped Dawn to support the First Seo.

"Let's get her to my room," Jenny said, leading Dawn through the corridors. "Wait for her to recover. She'll… probably have a lot of questions."

Dawn frowned. Was this why Jenny was so calm, now? Because she had a chance to see the First Seo, again, and say goodbye to _her_?

Or was there something Dawn was missing?

They entered a bedroom. Jenny helping Dawn to lay out the First Seo on her bed, make sure the earliest incarnation of her sister was comfortable. Put a blanket over her, making sure she was going to be all right.

"If… if it's any comfort," Dawn offered, "I know how you feel. Losing a sister. When Buffy… jumped…" She could still remember it. Clear as if it were yesterday. "I didn't think I could stand it. Everyone was gone. My whole family. They'd died because of _me_ , and I couldn't…"

It was still raw, somewhere deep inside of her.

That raw, bitter feeling that everyone around her had died, and it was all Dawn's fault.

And now… Seo was gone. The Tenth Seo. And that was Dawn's fault, too. Dawn's fault for making her unredeemable.

"I have something in my ship," said Jenny, her eyes fixed on the First Seo. "It'll help her come to faster."

Dawn just nodded.

As Jenny left.

The door closing behind her.

* * *

Jenny stood outside the door to her room. The door she'd just sealed shut and then locked from the outside. Then she turned to the panel on the wall, and wired in a teleportation jammer — specifically tuned to block out Boe. And only Boe.

No use blocking all transit here.

Not when Jenny needed that transit to get back her sister.

"You didn't give up on me," Jenny said, turning and running back to the main room. Crashing down into the chair, her brow furrowed, as she got back to work. Tried to locate the Tenth Seo. "I'm not giving up on you. Not now. Not ever."

She didn't notice that the button to control the restraints on her chair was missing.

Didn't notice… until it was too late.


	41. Chapter 41

"No!" the Sixth Doctor shouted, as the TARDIS launched into flight. He tried to get to the central console, tried to unplug the girl, but a psychic force blasted him backwards.

Then the console exploded into sparks and flashes.

The gong sounding, over and over again, in the background.

"Doctor, what's going on?" Peri shouted over the noise. "What did she do?!"

The Doctor tried again to get back to the console, breaking through the psychic pressure with everything he had. "She's connected her mind directly into the TARDIS Matrix while it's crossing the void!" he shouted. "Overloading it! Burning it out with her own psychic energy!"

But this much energy… it was the equivalent of nine different individuals! No one could have this much psychic energy!

"And that'll destroy the TARDIS?" said Peri.

The Doctor managed to burst through the psychic defense. "Not the TARDIS! It'll kill _her_!" He ran forwards, yanking the girl out from the central console, tearing the electrodes from her head.

Her eyes were closed.

She looked burned all over, and she didn't seem to be breathing.

"It's… it's…" The Doctor set her down. "Too late." He looked up at Peri. "There's nothing I can do."

Something bitter, angry, and absolutely devastated ran across his face. As his eyes lingered back to the girl in his arms, whom he didn't even know. This young girl. And she'd died for him.

"She… she's dead?" Peri cried. Ran over. "But… but why would she…?"

"Oh, isn't it obvious?" said the Doctor, his voice bitter and angry. At himself. Because this was his fault. "She knew the TARDIS Matrix would synchronize with the Matrix on Gallifrey the moment we arrived back in our universe. That the Time Lords would find out we'd met her. She overloaded it… to erase any evidence that this ever happened." His eyes grew even more pained. "She did it for _me_. And I never even knew who she was!"

Peri looked at a loss for words.

"It's just… such a waste!" the Doctor decided. Gritting his teeth and jumping to his feet. Raging. "Such a pointless waste! She gave up her life, and for what? So they wouldn't slap me on the wrist a few times? So they wouldn't erase my memory of this incident?"

"She… thought the Time Lords would do something worse to you than they will?" Peri asked.

"But there I was," the Doctor continued to berate himself. Pulling at his hair. "So stuck on making sure the Time Lords didn't find out, I went and got her killed. Made sure she'd give her life for me. A waste, Peri! An enormous…!"

The girl gasped.

And her eyes opened.

The Doctor turned. Stared. His jaw literally falling open.

The girl doubled over, with a small cry. Her hands on her head. "It's… it's working," she breathed. "I won't remember this, soon. Not any of it."

"You're okay!" Peri cried. Raced over to her, bent down beside her. "The Doctor and I… we thought you were dead!" Reached out. "We thought…"

The girl thrust Peri away. "Get back!"

And that was when the Doctor saw the gold light rippling across the girl's skin. And realized. "You're a Time Lady!"

Except… no.

"No!" the Doctor confirmed, aloud. "That can't be right!"

It didn't make sense! She didn't give off any psychic signals, not at all! And not even a Time Lady could do something like this and survive! Not even a Time Lady would be able, in that other universe, to know or do all the… things… that…

Oh.

Peri was having none of the girl's defiance. "You need help," Peri insisted, trying to get back to her. "You can't…"

The Doctor raced in and dragged Peri away. "Peri," he warned. "Keep away."

"But Doctor," Peri insisted. "You can't…!"

"My ship," said the girl. Struggling to get out of the TARDIS. "I need my ship. It makes this easier. It…"

She doubled over, groaning in pain.

"Doctor!" Peri said.

But the girl had already gotten to the doors of the TARDIS. Forced them open with a burst of strength, then staggered across the planet's surface. Towards a ship that looked to be made of glass, in the distance. As she forced it open, stumbled through its door.

Then exploded in a burst of artron.

The Doctor and Peri, standing within the TARDIS, both shielded their eyes from the brightness, as the girl's old body burned away.

And a new one took its place.

"What?" Peri cried.

The doors to the girl's ship shut. And the ship, with a wheezing groan, vanished.

"That's…" Peri said, looking between the Doctor and the disappearing ship. "But she… the same way you… except more…!"

"Yes," the Doctor agreed. "Rather an explosive regeneration." A smile lit up his face. "Remarkable. Really quite remarkable."

"So… she _was_ one of your people?" said Peri. "A Time Lady?"

"Not exactly," the Doctor said.

Peri blinked at him. "Not exactly? What do you mean, not exactly? Doctor, who _was_ that?"

The Doctor looked down at her. "Can't you tell?"

* * *

Seo came to.

She had no idea what had just happened. Or why her memory of the past few days was… blank. Last thing she remembered, she'd been looking for pieces of the Gallifreyan Matrix — which was annoying but still necessary. Especially considering the events that had led to its destruction.

Seo remembered that part.

But what…?

Seo put her hand up to her head, to sweep back her long black hair. Which was when… she noticed her hair.

It was the wrong color.

Come to think of it, she felt different. Strange. Like she'd just regenerated. Except she felt sure she would have remembered that! She was certain…!

Oliver was scorched, too.

Definitely regenerated, then. A regeneration… that had entirely wiped her memory of the moments around it? How'd _that_ happened? Even regeneration sickness didn't usually wipe out memories of the moment she died! What had she done? How'd she gone?

More importantly, what did she look like, now?

Seo closed her eyes, used the visualization techniques she'd learned to feel out her new face. Understand the contours and features, understand how they all fit together, and what visual element they represented.

She focused.

And saw herself. This self.

Mahogany hair — nice, wavy, rather gorgeous, actually. Brown eyes, with a perfectly sculpted bone structure around the face. Slim, attractive, with curves but not too many. Good dress size, too — that'd be useful. Seo opened her mouth to speak — American accent this time. It had been a while since she'd sounded American.

So.

She was a drop-dead gorgeous American beauty in this incarnation. Lucky for her.

But it was more than that.

No, Seo felt something she'd never felt before at the start of a regeneration. Something flowing through her, this time. An overwhelming feeling of… power. Raw power.

And why not?

Here she was. The Tenth Seo. The Tenth Incarnation. She knew everything. Had been everywhere. Had met everyone. She'd overcome even the hardest obstacles — could visualize herself without having to see her own reflection, could run in heel shoes, could wear short dresses and use high tech dimensional folding to make sure guys couldn't look in the wrong places. Could control even the elements with the wave of her hand, when using her lightning creator.

She picked out a pair of sunglasses.

One she'd found on a bazaar a few systems over. And had quite liked.

"I'm like a god," Seo realized. Then dismissed the notion — that was nuts! She placed the sunglasses on her head, using them to sweep back her hair.

A god.

Insane it might be, but… she felt like a god. Not a part-hell-goddess, like she'd been in the past. No. She was… God.

The one and only.

She could do the impossible.

Couldn't she?

"Ridiculous," the Tenth Seo decided, heading over to Oliver's controls. Time to park him for a bit, let him reassemble himself. "Don't get ideas above your station, girl! You're a weapon created with bits of hell goddess stuck inside you, to kill Glory. That's as much God as you'll ever be."

But of course… she had her whole Tenth incarnation ahead of her. In which she could prove to herself… that maybe it wasn't such a ridiculous notion after all.

Maybe she _was_ God.

So ended the story of the Ninth Seo.


	42. Chapter 42

In Glory's universe, long after the Tenth Seo had convinced herself that she _was_ God, that she _wasn't_ insane for believing so — long after all she'd done to Boe and to Jenny — the Tenth Seo sank to her knees. Trapped a cell meant for a hell goddess.

Surrounded by two hell gods. And their minions.

And a wall of souls that wouldn't stop whispering in her mind.

She twisted her hands through her hair. She was getting what she'd wanted, now. The memories of her former selves, entering this universe and finding out how it worked. All those memories, flooding back.

That was good.

That was what Seo had planned.

It was why she'd brought her former selves here, in the first place. To learn how to manipulate this universe! To understand how to escape it!

But…

But…!

She hadn't expected this.

Other memories had started flooding in. Urgoz Nutcolz. She remembered it as a desert wilderness, yes, just the way her first, second, and third selves had seen. But she could see it verdant and vibrant, too. She could see the leaves and the trees and the crowds of people, and thinking just how… _boring_ it was!

That little speck of dust, whose people thought they mattered so much!

What were they? Nothing!

Less than nothing.

"What's going on?" the Tenth Seo said. Trying but failing to control the inrush of memories. She remembered the Vptorian Galaxy, remembered Bvotin — but the way they'd been before they'd ever gotten destroyed. Before the war with Glory. "What's happening to me?" She looked up at the other two hell gods. "This is you again, isn't it? You've been getting more strategic about which memories you implant into my head! You're so desperate to destroy Glory, you're trying to make me become her! Before you kill her!"

The two looked like they had no idea what she was talking about.

They also looked delightedly surprised that they were succeeding in torturing her, when they didn't seem to be expending any effort or energy.

"You idiots!" shouted Seo. "You spineless cowards! What is wrong with you two? I'm not Glory! Why can't you get that? Are you really that dumb, or are you just screwing around?!"

Except she'd said that before.

Hadn't she?

She couldn't tell.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. Extremely wrong.

"No," the Tenth Seo said. Squeezing her eyes shut. "This isn't me! I'm Seo! I'm… I'm… I'm God! The one and only God! I… I am…"

She'd said that before, too.

She'd said that _here,_ before. In this very palace! She… she… no, the Garden had said it! The Garden had…!

No!

"Get out of my head!" Seo shouted. "Get out! Get out! Get out!"

* * *

Jenny knew that Boe had been wrong.

And he had been.

Because when the Ninth Seo had reactivated all the rings for her former selves, she'd reactivated the Tenth Seo's ring, too. She'd searched for her future self. Tried to draw her future-self back.

But the problem lay in the Tenth Seo's mind, itself.

Jenny searched. Knew it was almost completely impossible, but managed to track her down. The ring was useless getting inside Seo's head — no telepathic contact available. But something in that universe seemed intent on showing Seo to Jenny, on the screens around her. Some law of physics unique to that universe, interacting with Seo's ring in a way that Jenny didn't quite understand.

The image of the Tenth Seo flickered onto Jenny's monitors.

There!

But she still couldn't contact Seo. It was as if… the Tenth Seo's mind was too muddled. Too confused and fragmented to pick up psychic signals.

But Jenny was damned if she wouldn't try!

"Seo wants to come back," said Jenny. Watching as the image of Seo — her Seo, the Tenth Seo — appeared on the monitor. Fuzzy, but present. "This was her plan, all along! She made sure I'd bring her back! She…!"

"Almost the same exact words she used to justify resurrecting the Doctor," came a sly voice from the shadows. "My, my. She really _has_ broken you, hasn't she?"

Jenny froze.

She knew that voice. Had heard it echoing through a thousand, billion nightmares. Had felt it creeping through her bones in her worst possible hours.

She tried to jump to her feet, but the chair she had built to trap Seo — the inescapable chair — activated, and Jenny found herself restrained.

The man turned her around.

And it was him.

Again.

No longer a formless phantom inside her mind. Now real. Lifelike. Standing above her the way he had at the end of their last encounter — the day he'd manifested and Seo had destroyed him.

"You," Jenny breathed. Trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"Oh, so you remember me," he said. He stroked her cheek. "My darling daughter. I'm so touched."

Jenny clenched her jaw. "You're not Dad," she said, through her teeth. "I know that, this time. Seo proved it! You're _not Dad_!"

"I told you," he replied. "I'm all that's left of him. From beyond the grave."

"YOU'RE NOT DAD!" Jenny shouted.

She tried to struggle. Tried to break free. But she was held fast. Couldn't get out.

"And Seo killed you," Jenny insisted. "I remember! She got rid of you forever! You can't come back!"

"Yes, the Doctor believed he'd done much the same thing," the man reflected, leaning against the control panel. "Several times, come to think of it." Grinned. "And yet... I'm still here."

The chair wouldn't give.

No matter how hard Jenny struggled. No matter what she did.

She was trapped. Just like he'd trapped her before, when he'd stuck her in a pool of insanity and darkness, trying to make sure that she believed a lie.

"And _you're_ still here," he continued. "A different face, but the same inside. The evil version of your daddy."

Jenny met his eyes with hers. She could do this. She could be strong.

"That's not me," she said. "That's _you_ , Mr. Valeyard." Summoning up her anger. "Seo said so, and she would know!"

The Valeyard didn't answer.

Just gave Jenny a long, impassive stare.

"Yes, I suppose she would, wouldn't she?" the Valeyard said. His voice suddenly icy. "That was a neat trick of hers, last time. But it won't happen again. It's taken me a while to accomplish… but I've finally disposed of her. For good."

And now… there was nothing left of his previous façade. Nothing left of the man who'd impersonated her Dad, once upon a time, in order to infiltrate her very existence. Nothing left of the thing that had invaded her mind, and tried to drag out something dark inside of her.

All that was left was the cold, cruel monster of her nightmares.

The thing that had tortured her and driven her to the brink of insanity.

The Valeyard.

"See for yourself," the Valeyard said, tapping at the monitor, which showed the Tenth Seo writhing. "She's gone. Universes away." He pat Jenny on the head. "Everyone else thinks she should die, Jenny dear. That's why you locked them all out. Made sure no one was around to rescue you."

And the worst thing was… he was right.

She'd made sure she was alone. Isolated herself.

Even created this chair to restrain her sister, and now it was being used on _her_! To make sure _she_ couldn't escape!

No.

No, Jenny couldn't think like that. She was strong, now. Clever. She could block the Valeyard out. She could fight back. And she had to! Every guilt, every admission of her own guilt, inside herself — it only strengthened him.

She could see it strengthening him.

Jenny mustered up her courage. Forced herself to stay strong. She was brilliant. Amazing. Good! She was Jenny, the Tenth Jenny, and she wasn't going to be cowed by her earlier fears.

She squirmed in her seat, fighting against the restraints, purposely bumping her hip against the arm of the chair. But none of the restraints gave.

"Do you really think you can escape?" said the Valeyard. "The Doctor thought he could, too. I tracked him down in his Sixth Incarnation. Took control of the Matrix. The Time Lords promised me all of his regenerations if I managed to find him guilty."

The… Matrix…

"Seo was looking for pieces of the Matrix," Jenny realized.

"Yes, I know," the Valeyard said. "I was counting on that. After all — she was my star evidence against the Doctor. I figured if I just gave her the right encouragement, reminded her of her aunt and the people she'd lost, used the Doctor to remind her of the Time Lords, then drove her into a frenzied emotional state… she'd spill the beans. Tell him all about his role in their fate."

Jenny's breath caught in her throat.

"You wanted a Matrix record of Seo, telling Dad he'd destroy Gallifrey," Jenny realized. "But… she'd never do that!"

"She would," the Valeyard qualified, "if she remembered the three regenerations he spent blaming himself for causing that destruction. And wanted him to know — ahead of time — that he'd bring the planet back, and shouldn't worry."

Jenny stared.

Horrified.

"A good plan," the Valeyard continued. Clasping his hands behind his back. "Soon as I entered the Matrix and edited out any mention of his bringing Gallifrey back — well, that would have ended the trial right there. Genocide. Guilty as charged."

"But she didn't say anything, did she?" Jenny said. Thinking back to her failed attempts to reach Earth, circa 2 million AD. Where Seo had found that Matrix fragment. "She didn't cooperate. Something in that Matrix fragment she found on Earth tipped her off — so she _knew_ you were behind this. She used her own mind to wipe the TARDIS Matrix before you could use any of that information against Dad. She saved him!"

The Valeyard didn't seem terribly bothered. Just shrugged.

"What'd you do to the Earth?" Jenny asked. "Around 2 million, AD? I couldn't get there. Like it had been moved."

"Your sister left that fragment of the Matrix on Earth," said the Valeyard. "I couldn't have you stumbling across it. So…"

"So you destroyed the Earth," Jenny realized.

"No — the _Time Lords_ destroyed the Earth," the Valeyard countered. "In their own past! All I did was make sure they were aware that someone had stolen part of their Matrix, and hidden it on Earth. They knew the only logical step was to wipe out all life on Earth's surface."

Jenny's eyes went wide.

"Oh, sorry, did I badmouth your paymasters, little Jenny?" the Valeyard put a hand up to his mouth, feigning a mistake. "Shame on me! After all your effort! Leaving this universe, tracking them down — even letting them turn you into a real Time Lady!" He chuckled. "You established a gateway between our universe and theirs! Helped them time and time again. Even when you saw evidence to the contrary — you never stopped believing in them."

"They're just as fallible as any of us," said Jenny. "I'm well aware of that." Her eyes narrowed, as she strengthened her resolve. "But Earth's destruction wasn't their fault. It was _yours_. My sister knew that — and she beat you."

"Did she?" the Valeyard asked.

Jenny hesitated.

"Your sister didn't beat me, Jenny," said the Valeyard. "Wiping out the evidence against her father just drove her Tenth-self back into that other universe. Thus, ridding me of her forever. I still won."

"You couldn't use her, so you made her mad," Jenny realized. "Same way you made me mad."

"Yes, but with her, it was mostly just for fun," the Valeyard confessed. "You, Jenny, are my _real_ prize."

"Why?" Jenny demanded. "You want my regenerations? Is that it?"

The Valeyard looked offended. "All two of them left?" he scoffed. "No thank you. I'll go back through history and try again with the Doctor and the Time Lords. That's much more satisfying."

"Then why hurt me?" Jenny said. "Why feed off _my_ mind? What makes _me_ so special?"

"Because you're my favorite!" the Valeyard replied. He leaned down, got right in her face. "My dear Jenny. Don't you see? You _are_ the Doctor. His DNA extracted and rearranged. Except created for evil. For war. For death."

"I was created as a soldier; Seo was created as a Weapon," said Jenny. "Seo's mum was fated to be the Slayer. And Seo's sister was created as a Key to destroy the multiverse." She leveled dark eyes at the Valeyard. Repeating what Seo had said to her, so very long ago. "None of them chose to be killers. Neither did I. _That's_ what counts."

The Valeyard regarded her coolly. "You really believe that?"

"Seos one, four, three, and nine can't be wrong," said Jenny.

The Valeyard laughed a little under his breath. As he clasped his hands behind his back, and began to pace. "Oh, Jenny, Jenny, Jenny," he muttered. "You're already beaten, and you don't even know it."

"I said Seos one, four, three, and nine can't…" Jenny repeated.

"Your sister's gone," the Valeyard cut in. Spinning on her. "Even Boe's decided to sacrifice her, and that's the one thing he swore he'd never do. You've gone back through history, ensured that any friends or allies you might have had are destroyed. Seo even tried to resurrect the Doctor, and you stopped her." He grinned. "There's no one left to save you, Jenny. You've destroyed them all." He stepped forwards. "You've even destroyed yourself."

Jenny tried to lean back. As far away from him as she could. But she was stuck tight. "I did what was right," she said. Trying to control her fear. "You can't prove me wrong. I won't believe you."

The Valeyard clapped his hands. "A challenge!" he declared. "Another trial. One I already know I can win. Because with you, Jenny, I don't have to infiltrate the Matrix or alter the evidence." His eyes gleamed. "You are your own star witness. Your own judge. Your own jury. Your own executioner."

Something about the way he said it made Jenny shudder.

Author's Note: Ready to meet the phantom that had nearly driven Jenny insane, inside her mind, all those regenerations ago?

* * *

In Glory's universe, long after the Tenth Seo had convinced herself that she _was_ God, that she _wasn't_ insane for believing so — long after all she'd done to Boe and to Jenny — the Tenth Seo sank to her knees. Trapped a cell meant for a hell goddess.

Surrounded by two hell gods. And their minions.

And a wall of souls that wouldn't stop whispering in her mind.

She twisted her hands through her hair. She was getting what she'd wanted, now. The memories of her former selves, entering this universe and finding out how it worked. All those memories, flooding back.

That was good.

That was what Seo had planned.

It was why she'd brought her former selves here, in the first place. To learn how to manipulate this universe! To understand how to escape it!

But…

But…!

She hadn't expected this.

Other memories had started flooding in. Urgoz Nutcolz. She remembered it as a desert wilderness, yes, just the way her first, second, and third selves had seen. But she could see it verdant and vibrant, too. She could see the leaves and the trees and the crowds of people, and thinking just how… _boring_ it was!

That little speck of dust, whose people thought they mattered so much!

What were they? Nothing!

Less than nothing.

"What's going on?" the Tenth Seo said. Trying but failing to control the inrush of memories. She remembered the Vptorian Galaxy, remembered Bvotin — but the way they'd been before they'd ever gotten destroyed. Before the war with Glory. "What's happening to me?" She looked up at the other two hell gods. "This is you again, isn't it? You've been getting more strategic about which memories you implant into my head! You're so desperate to destroy Glory, you're trying to make me become her! Before you kill her!"

The two looked like they had no idea what she was talking about.

They also looked delightedly surprised that they were succeeding in torturing her, when they didn't seem to be expending any effort or energy.

"You idiots!" shouted Seo. "You spineless cowards! What is wrong with you two? I'm not Glory! Why can't you get that? Are you really that dumb, or are you just screwing around?!"

Except she'd said that before.

Hadn't she?

She couldn't tell.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. Extremely wrong.

"No," the Tenth Seo said. Squeezing her eyes shut. "This isn't me! I'm Seo! I'm… I'm… I'm God! The one and only God! I… I am…"

She'd said that before, too.

She'd said that _here,_ before. In this very palace! She… she… no, the Garden had said it! The Garden had…!

No!

"Get out of my head!" Seo shouted. "Get out! Get out! Get out!"

* * *

Jenny knew that Boe had been wrong.

And he had been.

Because when the Ninth Seo had reactivated all the rings for her former selves, she'd reactivated the Tenth Seo's ring, too. She'd searched for her future self. Tried to draw her future-self back.

But the problem lay in the Tenth Seo's mind, itself.

Jenny searched. Knew it was almost completely impossible, but managed to track her down. The ring was useless getting inside Seo's head — no telepathic contact available. But something in that universe seemed intent on showing Seo to Jenny, on the screens around her. Some law of physics unique to that universe, interacting with Seo's ring in a way that Jenny didn't quite understand.

The image of the Tenth Seo flickered onto Jenny's monitors.

There!

But she still couldn't contact Seo. It was as if… the Tenth Seo's mind was too muddled. Too confused and fragmented to pick up psychic signals.

But Jenny was damned if she wouldn't try!

"Seo wants to come back," said Jenny. Watching as the image of Seo — her Seo, the Tenth Seo — appeared on the monitor. Fuzzy, but present. "This was her plan, all along! She made sure I'd bring her back! She…!"

"Almost the same exact words she used to justify resurrecting the Doctor," came a sly voice from the shadows. "My, my. She really _has_ broken you, hasn't she?"

Jenny froze.

She knew that voice. Had heard it echoing through a thousand, billion nightmares. Had felt it creeping through her bones in her worst possible hours.

She tried to jump to her feet, but the chair she had built to trap Seo — the inescapable chair — activated, and Jenny found herself restrained.

The man turned her around.

And it was him.

Again.

No longer a formless phantom inside her mind. Now real. Lifelike. Standing above her the way he had at the end of their last encounter — the day he'd manifested and Seo had destroyed him.

"You," Jenny breathed. Trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"Oh, so you remember me," he said. He stroked her cheek. "My darling daughter. I'm so touched."

Jenny clenched her jaw. "You're not Dad," she said, through her teeth. "I know that, this time. Seo proved it! You're _not Dad_!"

"I told you," he replied. "I'm all that's left of him. From beyond the grave."

"YOU'RE NOT DAD!" Jenny shouted.

She tried to struggle. Tried to break free. But she was held fast. Couldn't get out.

"And Seo killed you," Jenny insisted. "I remember! She got rid of you forever! You can't come back!"

"Yes, the Doctor believed he'd done much the same thing," the man reflected, leaning against the control panel. "Several times, come to think of it." Grinned. "And yet... I'm still here."

The chair wouldn't give.

No matter how hard Jenny struggled. No matter what she did.

She was trapped. Just like he'd trapped her before, when he'd stuck her in a pool of insanity and darkness, trying to make sure that she believed a lie.

"And _you're_ still here," he continued. "A different face, but the same inside. The evil version of your daddy."

Jenny met his eyes with hers. She could do this. She could be strong.

"That's not me," she said. "That's _you_ , Mr. Valeyard." Summoning up her anger. "Seo said so, and she would know!"

The Valeyard didn't answer.

Just gave Jenny a long, impassive stare.

"Yes, I suppose she would, wouldn't she?" the Valeyard said. His voice suddenly icy. "That was a neat trick of hers, last time. But it won't happen again. It's taken me a while to accomplish… but I've finally disposed of her. For good."

And now… there was nothing left of his previous façade. Nothing left of the man who'd impersonated her Dad, once upon a time, in order to infiltrate her very existence. Nothing left of the thing that had invaded her mind, and tried to drag out something dark inside of her.

All that was left was the cold, cruel monster of her nightmares.

The thing that had tortured her and driven her to the brink of insanity.

The Valeyard.

"See for yourself," the Valeyard said, tapping at the monitor, which showed the Tenth Seo writhing. "She's gone. Universes away." He pat Jenny on the head. "Everyone else thinks she should die, Jenny dear. That's why you locked them all out. Made sure no one was around to rescue you."

And the worst thing was… he was right.

She'd made sure she was alone. Isolated herself.

Even created this chair to restrain her sister, and now it was being used on _her_! To make sure _she_ couldn't escape!

No.

No, Jenny couldn't think like that. She was strong, now. Clever. She could block the Valeyard out. She could fight back. And she had to! Every guilt, every admission of her own guilt, inside herself — it only strengthened him.

She could see it strengthening him.

Jenny mustered up her courage. Forced herself to stay strong. She was brilliant. Amazing. Good! She was Jenny, the Tenth Jenny, and she wasn't going to be cowed by her earlier fears.

She squirmed in her seat, fighting against the restraints, purposely bumping her hip against the arm of the chair. But none of the restraints gave.

"Do you really think you can escape?" said the Valeyard. "The Doctor thought he could, too. I tracked him down in his Sixth Incarnation. Took control of the Matrix. The Time Lords promised me all of his regenerations if I managed to find him guilty."

The… Matrix…

"Seo was looking for pieces of the Matrix," Jenny realized.

"Yes, I know," the Valeyard said. "I was counting on that. After all — she was my star evidence against the Doctor. I figured if I just gave her the right encouragement, reminded her of her aunt and the people she'd lost, used the Doctor to remind her of the Time Lords, then drove her into a frenzied emotional state… she'd spill the beans. Tell him all about his role in their fate."

Jenny's breath caught in her throat.

"You wanted a Matrix record of Seo, telling Dad he'd destroy Gallifrey," Jenny realized. "But… she'd never do that!"

"She would," the Valeyard qualified, "if she remembered the three regenerations he spent blaming himself for causing that destruction. And wanted him to know — ahead of time — that he'd bring the planet back, and shouldn't worry."

Jenny stared.

Horrified.

"A good plan," the Valeyard continued. Clasping his hands behind his back. "Soon as I entered the Matrix and edited out any mention of his bringing Gallifrey back — well, that would have ended the trial right there. Genocide. Guilty as charged."

"But she didn't say anything, did she?" Jenny said. Thinking back to her failed attempts to reach Earth, circa 2 million AD. Where Seo had found that Matrix fragment. "She didn't cooperate. Something in that Matrix fragment she found on Earth tipped her off — so she _knew_ you were behind this. She used her own mind to wipe the TARDIS Matrix before you could use any of that information against Dad. She saved him!"

The Valeyard didn't seem terribly bothered. Just shrugged.

"What'd you do to the Earth?" Jenny asked. "Around 2 million, AD? I couldn't get there. Like it had been moved."

"Your sister left that fragment of the Matrix on Earth," said the Valeyard. "I couldn't have you stumbling across it. So…"

"So you destroyed the Earth," Jenny realized.

"No — the _Time Lords_ destroyed the Earth," the Valeyard countered. "In their own past! All I did was make sure they were aware that someone had stolen part of their Matrix, and hidden it on Earth. They knew the only logical step was to wipe out all life on Earth's surface."

Jenny's eyes went wide.

"Oh, sorry, did I badmouth your paymasters, little Jenny?" the Valeyard put a hand up to his mouth, feigning a mistake. "Shame on me! After all your effort! Leaving this universe, tracking them down — even letting them turn you into a real Time Lady!" He chuckled. "You established a gateway between our universe and theirs! Helped them time and time again. Even when you saw evidence to the contrary — you never stopped believing in them."

"They're just as fallible as any of us," said Jenny. "I'm well aware of that." Her eyes narrowed, as she strengthened her resolve. "But Earth's destruction wasn't their fault. It was _yours_. My sister knew that — and she beat you."

"Did she?" the Valeyard asked.

Jenny hesitated.

"Your sister didn't beat me, Jenny," said the Valeyard. "Wiping out the evidence against her father just drove her Tenth-self back into that other universe. Thus, ridding me of her forever. I still won."

"You couldn't use her, so you made her mad," Jenny realized. "Same way you made me mad."

"Yes, but with her, it was mostly just for fun," the Valeyard confessed. "You, Jenny, are my _real_ prize."

"Why?" Jenny demanded. "You want my regenerations? Is that it?"

The Valeyard looked offended. "All two of them left?" he scoffed. "No thank you. I'll go back through history and try again with the Doctor and the Time Lords. That's much more satisfying."

"Then why hurt me?" Jenny said. "Why feed off _my_ mind? What makes _me_ so special?"

"Because you're my favorite!" the Valeyard replied. He leaned down, got right in her face. "My dear Jenny. Don't you see? You _are_ the Doctor. His DNA extracted and rearranged. Except created for evil. For war. For death."

"I was created as a soldier; Seo was created as a Weapon," said Jenny. "Seo's mum was fated to be the Slayer. And Seo's sister was created as a Key to destroy the multiverse." She leveled dark eyes at the Valeyard. Repeating what Seo had said to her, so very long ago. "None of them chose to be killers. Neither did I. _That's_ what counts."

The Valeyard regarded her coolly. "You really believe that?"

"Seos one, four, three, and nine can't be wrong," said Jenny.

The Valeyard laughed a little under his breath. As he clasped his hands behind his back, and began to pace. "Oh, Jenny, Jenny, Jenny," he muttered. "You're already beaten, and you don't even know it."

"I said Seos one, four, three, and nine can't…" Jenny repeated.

"Your sister's gone," the Valeyard cut in. Spinning on her. "Even Boe's decided to sacrifice her, and that's the one thing he swore he'd never do. You've gone back through history, ensured that any friends or allies you might have had are destroyed. Seo even tried to resurrect the Doctor, and you stopped her." He grinned. "There's no one left to save you, Jenny. You've destroyed them all." He stepped forwards. "You've even destroyed yourself."

Jenny tried to lean back. As far away from him as she could. But she was stuck tight. "I did what was right," she said. Trying to control her fear. "You can't prove me wrong. I won't believe you."

The Valeyard clapped his hands. "A challenge!" he declared. "Another trial. One I already know I can win. Because with you, Jenny, I don't have to infiltrate the Matrix or alter the evidence." His eyes gleamed. "You are your own star witness. Your own judge. Your own jury. Your own executioner."

Something about the way he said it made Jenny shudder.


	43. Chapter 43

"The things you've done, Jenny, in this tenth life of yours!" the Valeyard cried, throwing up his hands. "Cruel. Heartless! You've murdered, tortured, butchered. Torn down civilizations with your bare hands. Given power to those who you knew would abuse it! Taken from the innocent, given to the guilty!"

The words stung, even as he said them.

"I had to," Jenny insisted. To herself, as well as him. Because she needed to hear it. Needed to believe it. "I have a duty to keep time on track."

"Because the Time Lords asked you to?"

"They didn't have to," snapped Jenny. "I took my own initiative. Made my own choices."

"And redid all your worst mistakes," said the Valeyard. "Yes, I saw. Did you enjoy watching that star wipe out billions of lives just as much the second time around — knowing it was _your_ hand twisting the knife?"

Jenny didn't want to remember that.

Wished she never had to, again.

"Seo sent history into freefall," said Jenny. "I had to keep _some_ stability. Or everything might have changed." She held her head up high. "I did my duty."

"Just like the good little soldier you are," the Valeyard replied, his grin spreading.

Jenny gritted her teeth.

"I wasn't acting for _them_ ," Jenny said. "Whatever you think. I acted for the sake of the whole universe." Then, with venom in her voice, added, "And none of it would have happened if you hadn't intervened in Seo's Ninth incarnation! You drove her into a regeneration that sent her half-mad and made her nearly tear down reality!"

"Oh, yes, that's right, _your sister_ was the mad one," said the Valeyard. "Not _you_ at all. Well, that makes sense. She said she was God — stands to reason, she must be insane."

More mind tricks.

He'd always loved his mind tricks.

"Except… you see," said the Valeyard, "your sister wasn't exactly wrong about that. Just a bit… mixed up."

Jenny blinked.

"I'm sorry?" Jenny said.

"Granted, she was useless, here," the Valeyard said. "I'm the only god of this reality." He leaned down closer to her. "You know that. I'm your god, Jenny. Always will be."

Jenny tried to fight. But she could already feel her mind swimming the way it had, back when he'd last come for her.

"I see all," said the Valeyard. Leaning closer. "Everything you've ever done. I judge you, Jenny, dear." He brushed some hair behind her ear. " _You're_ the insane one. Not her. You just throw the blame on someone else… and run away!"

"No," Jenny insisted. Far too quickly. "I didn't do anything wrong."

"You didn't?" said the Valeyard. "Well." He stepped back into the center of the room. Brandished his hand. "Your TARDIS absorbed anything left of the Gallifreyan Matrix. Let's see what the evidence has to say."

With the wave of the Valeyard's hand, a projection appeared in the middle of the room. One that showed a thin-faced man, creepy about wearing Victorian clothes. "The Great Intelligence," the Valeyard said. "Destabilized the Doctor's timeline. Made his poor companion, Clara, have to sacrifice herself for him! All very touching."

The image now showed the inside of the tomb on Trenzalore. The Doctor, in his eleventh life, gasping as he died a thousand deaths across every point in his own personal history.

"The mistake with the Great Intelligence nearly unmade the universe," said the Valeyard. "Nearly unmade your daddy. And you blame… oh, wait, let me guess. You blame Seo."

"She thought she could break in if she found Dad's real name," Jenny said. "She said her plans out loud — that's how the Great Intelligence found out what was in Dad's tomb! How the Great Intelligence knew to get there."

" _Seo_ did that?" the Valeyard double checked.

"Yes!" said Jenny. "She's mad. I told you! She was nearly eaten by Vashta Nerada countless times, trying to break into the Library and get River to tell her. She—"

"The thing is," the Valeyard cut in, "I believe _this_ is how the Great Intelligence found out."

The Valeyard snapped his fingers.

And the projection shifted. Showing Seo and Jenny, in a wi-fi hotspot in London. Jenny irritated, pacing, shouting at Seo. Seo being her normal stubborn self.

_"His remains," Jenny was saying to Seo, "meaning the scar he left on reality. His entire time-stream, laid out before us?"_

_"Yes."_

_"But don't you see how dangerous that is?" Jenny argued. "Not just to you, but to_ him _? Get it wrong, and you could unwrite him from history. Destroy his own past."_

The image paused.

Jenny didn't know what to say. Because as much as she wanted to believe the Valeyard had doctored the evidence, altered the records… he hadn't. The image didn't lie. That was what really happened. Jenny simply hadn't realized… the person to actually say the information…

"It was me," Jenny realized. " _I_ explained what was in there. I… I caused…!"

"And the penny drops," said the Valeyard. He glanced at the air projection. A smug smile on his face. "Turns out, the only thing your sister did was try to feed herself to the Vashta Nerada. You, on the other hand, wound up nearly unwriting your dad's past."

Jenny felt panic build up inside of her.

"No," Jenny insisted. "It wasn't like that! Seo was going to kill herself, and I couldn't just let her…!"

"You couldn't let _her_?" the Valeyard cut in. "A moment ago, it was couldn't let the universe. Then couldn't let history. Then couldn't let the Doctor. And now... couldn't let _her_." He stared her right in the eye. "Which is it, Jenny?"

Jenny looked away. "She's my sister."

"Then let's move on to evidence number two," the Valeyard continued. "The near-destruction of the universe." He snapped his fingers, and the image shifted to the exploding TARDIS. Along with the supernova of all the stars in the sky. "Actually, I lied. It was the complete destruction of the universe. This — what we're standing in — is the rebooted universe, after the Doctor saved it. Using the Pandorica. Rather clever, I thought."

Jenny stared.

Not believing what she was seeing.

"Of course, neither he nor the Silence ever realized that it was his own daughter who triggered the explosion," said the Valeyard, still watching the projection. "And who caused the cracks in the universe. His own Jenny — with so much destruction on her head!"

"That was Seo," Jenny said. "Not me."

"And then, by rebooting the universe," the Valeyard continued, "your daddy nearly wiped himself out of time. Thus further destabilizing his timeline. Throwing history even more into flux."

"It wasn't me!" Jenny protested.

The Valeyard snapped his fingers. And there, in the air, were Jenny and Seo, again. Jenny with her eyes venomous, pointing at a time-chart over the shocked Seo's shoulder.

_"There!" shouted Jenny. "A temporal pothole. Are you proud of yourself?"_

_Seo's shock fell away. Bit back by irritation. "Okay. Fine! I'll just go there and fix it."_

_"Fix it?" Jenny cried, turning on her sister. "You so much as land there, and Oliver will explode! The whole universe will end before it ever began! All of history will be unwritten!"_

_Seo tried to pretend she wasn't bothered. But you could tell she was._

_"I'll find another way," said Seo, casually. "I can do anything. I'm God."_

_"You're not God!" Jenny snapped. Threaded her hands through her hair, pacing the area, teeth gritted. Then muttered, "If only Dad were here. He'd know how to fix this."_

The image paused.

As the Valeyard swung around to face Jenny, again. "So she sent his TARDIS there," said the Valeyard. "Just like you told her to."

And it was true.

That was the worst part. No need to doctor facts or fabricate events. It was all just… true.

"I… I couldn't let Seo go there herself," Jenny said. Her voice barely above a whisper. "She might have… needed to…"

Jenny stopped.

"Oh! Is _that_ why?" said the Valeyard. "See, I thought you were saving the universe! Except you weren't, were you? No. You figured there was a fifty-fifty chance she'd manage to stop the destruction of the universe by erasing herself from time. So you made her stay behind."

"I didn't expect her to _actually send_ Dad there," Jenny insisted. "He's dead! There was no way—"

"So whom did you expect her to send?" said the Valeyard. "Someone more... expendable? Someone you wouldn't miss if they got erased from your life?"

The pain of all the people Jenny had lost played out before her. A string of specters torturing her mind.

"I don't want my family hurt," Jenny said. "That isn't wrong."

"Which leads us to evidence number three," the Valeyard continued. Pointing to the air, as the projection shifted to show Jenny coming up to Madam Kovarian on the street. "Kovarian's Silence."

Jenny felt her hearts skip a beat.

"You don't want to hurt your family, you say," the Valeyard continued. "But you worked for a group whose mission was to do exactly that. Worked for them… for over a year."

"History was in freefall," Jenny whispered. "I had to keep it stable. Dad's timeline, especially."

The Valeyard waved his hand. Showing World War II, and the Doctor in his 11th incarnation, nearly dying from a kiss from River Song. "Did your dad ever mention nearly dying in World War II? Long before he arrived at Lake Silencio?"

Jenny hesitated. "I… don't remember…" She shook her head. "But that doesn't mean anything. Dad never really told me…"

"But maybe _this_ time, he didn't tell you because it wasn't supposed to happen," the Valeyard mused. "Did you think of that? What if you did your work for them too well? And nearly killed him for good?"

"What if you're wrong," Jenny argued, "and it _was_ supposed to happen, and you're just messing with my head?"

"But you wouldn't know, would you? Not even your paymasters know, locked out of the universe for so long." The Valeyard analyzed her, carefully. "What a gamble you took! Playing Russian Roulette with history! At least your sister takes responsibility when she does it. What do you do? Blame her."

Jenny shuddered.

"And after she gave up her seventh life to save you from me!" The Valeyard tsked. "Ungrateful, Jenny! Very ungrateful. What would your paymasters say, if they knew the truth about you?"

"They're not my paymasters," said Jenny.

The Valeyard gestured back at the Type 80 TARDIS. "That's a very nice machine for them not to be your paymasters."

"I got that lifetimes ago!" Jenny retorted. "None of this has anything to do with the Time Lords!"

The Valeyard gave a little grin.

And Jenny hesitated.

"The Time Lords have never liked Seo," Jenny amended. "She's weird and different — and they've always been paranoid that she'd destroy them." Her voice grew into a plea. "I had to fix this before they noticed that Seo had destabilized Dad's timeline. Or they'd have killed her."

"Ah, so _you're_ the one who closed the link to Gallifrey," the Valeyard said. "Because _they_ found out about Seo's god complex. They realized she'd thrown the Doctor's timeline into flux. Right around his eleventh incarnation, when he met Clara, in particular."

"That's the regeneration they can't let change."

"Which means now, they want to kill Seo — before she goes any further," said the Valeyard. "Before the Doctor's timeline goes into more flux, and Gallifrey's own history gets rewritten. Causing the planet to have been destroyed in the Time War, again."

Jenny bit her lower lip.

"But _you_ were willing to risk it," said the Valeyard. "For one single person."

"Seo's my sister," Jenny said. It sounded more desperate than she'd hoped. But it was all she had left. From the deepest bottoms of her hearts. "And I love her… so much."

"Yes, I can see that," the Valeyard agreed. "Loved her enough to blow up a star system. Destroy several worlds she attempted to save. Murder your friends. Sell a dangerous bomb to an arms dealer you knew would use it to blow up a refugee camp. Even risk the annihilation of the Time Lords a second time, just to…"

"She didn't change that part of Dad's timeline!" Jenny shouted. "I made sure of it! By making sure Kovarian's Silence did what they were supposed to!"

"Made sure by kidnapping Amy Pond so you could genetically modify and brainwash her baby," the Valeyard continued, "to become a weapon to kill your dad? Even though Kovarian and the others were time travelers, themselves, _also_ altering history. And their presence or absence from the Doctor's timeline would have made no difference to the existence of Gallifrey."

"That's…!"

"'To stabilize history', indeed," scoffed the Valeyard. "Your actions for the Silence had nothing to do with stabilizing history or protecting Gallifrey. And you know it."

"It _was_ to stabilize time!" Jenny insisted. "Seo's destruction of Kovarian's faction of the Silence created a paradox!" She leaned forwards in her chair, as much as she could with the restraints. "The reason Seo wanted to resurrect Dad in the first place was because she saw River Song's gravestone! If there was no River Song, none of the rest of it could have happened."

"Oh, yes, because Madam Kovarian would _never_ have been able, without your help, to make sure River wound up brainwashed and standing in a space-suit, killing the Doctor on a beach in Utah," said the Valeyard. "Clearly, doing that would require giving River regenerative powers, super-strength, and whatever else you programmed her with."

Jenny didn't answer.

"So why'd you really do it, Jenny?" said the Valeyard. Advancing towards her. "If you're not evil — why invade your daddy's past just to torture his friends? Tell me."

"Seo… was mad," Jenny whispered.

"You keep saying that," the Valeyard noted. "But the evidence doesn't lie, does it? Seo wasn't the mad one."

"She was! She was… undoing herself," Jenny said — pleaded. "Unraveling her own past. The Powers that Be, the others, they all came looking for her. And found Melody Pond, instead. Melody Pond is the only reason Seo's still alive! She's…"

Jenny stopped.

The Valeyard gaped at her.

Then burst out laughing. "Oh, you are too priceless!" the Valeyard cried. "If only the Doctor were still alive to hear this! I bet he's rolling in his grave."

"I…" Jenny swallowed, hard.

"Kept time on track?" said the Valeyard. "No, you selfish girl. You changed time to create a body-double for your sister! Out of a stolen baby from your Dad's own past. Imagine what he'd say if he knew!"

"It's not a crime to love your sister," Jenny said. Because she kept repeating it to herself, over and over again, in her head. It's not a crime. Not a crime. Not a crime!


	44. Chapter 44

"It's not a crime to love your sister," Jenny said. Because she kept repeating it to herself, over and over again, in her head. It's not a crime. Not a crime. Not a crime!

"Yes, Seo said the same thing to me, too," the Valeyard mused. "Last time we met. Of course, she phrased it a little differently."

He snapped his fingers.

And the projection changed. To show a much younger Seo. Facing down the Valeyard — just recently manifested. Flexing his newfound powers, shortly before Seo had given up her seventh life to stop him.

_"Jenny's my sister," said Seo, with a shrug. "I left her, but I came back for her. Because I love her. I don't have to justify that to you."_

_"Don't you?" the Valeyard had said, with a sly grin. "After everything you've done. Every ounce of grief she's caused you, everything you've torn down for her, just so she could…"_

_Seo laughed. "That's the thing about me," she admitted. "Jenny's my sister — my family. The only person who makes me feel like I have a home. And 'home' is something I'd tear down universes to get back to."_

The image faded.

Jenny hadn't recalled that. Hadn't realized…

"You're afraid of her," Jenny said. Turning to the Valeyard. "You're afraid of Seo!"

It was enough to make her laugh. Because she could see it written all over him. He was terrified of her. Really and truly terrified!

"You don't see it, do you?" the Valeyard replied. "You hide it under things like, 'she's mad' and 'she's reckless'. You pretend she's kidding. Pretend the Time Lords are just paranoid for no reason. Pretend the coldest, cruelest, most heartless things she says are just… one-offs. Nothing she'd ever really _do_."

"Cruelty's more _your_ kind of thing," Jenny said. Regaining her strength. How'd she ever been afraid of him? Seo terrified him! Her disorganized, goofy, stubborn sister, who could accidentally destroy a universe before it was ever born, and not notice!

Jenny had nothing to fear!

The Valeyard just planted a smug smile on his face. "Oh, Jenny. Sometimes, I don't know if you're living in denial, or just _an idiot_."

Jenny blinked. "Excuse me?"

The Valeyard pointed at the screen Jenny had been watching, before. The one that showed the Tenth Seo in the other universe.

The Tenth Seo was clutching her head. Shouting that it wasn't true, it was impossible!

"You can't admit your own evilness," said the Valeyard. "Can't admit what your sister really is. Can't even see that she's dangerous." He chuckled. "She called herself God — the one and only, most powerful, most incredible force in her universe — and you just brushed it aside as madness."

"She _was_ mad!" Jenny snapped. "She _is_! She might created from bits of Glory, but she's not God! She can't do anything she wants without a second thought! It's insane!"

"Really?" said the Valeyard. "The Doctor agreed with her, you know. He worked out who Seo really was long before he ever knew she was the Key."

Jenny felt her jaw drop.

Then her head spun around to face the projection in the center of the room. The one that showed the Sixth Doctor and Peri, standing in the doorway of the Doctor's TARDIS on the planet Dicurion. Just after the Ninth Seo had regenerated into the Tenth. And then left.

_"So… she was one of your people?" Peri proposed. "A Time Lady?"_

_"Not exactly," the Doctor said._

_Peri blinked at him. "Not exactly? What do you mean, not exactly? Doctor, who_ was _that?"_

_The Doctor looked down at her. "Can't you tell?"_

_Peri shook her head._

_"You, Peri," said the Doctor, putting an arm around her shoulders, "have just had the honor of meeting the Goddess Glorificus."_

Jenny laughed beneath her breath. "That's a lie," she said. "Seo's met Glory. The _real_ Glory, in Sunnydale. Seo was constructed to kill her."

"Yes, the Doctor met that one, too," said the Valeyard. "He was very surprised."

The projection changed to a glimpse of the Doctor, in his tenth incarnation, restrained and hauled in front of a woman in a red dress, frizzy blond hair and a wide smile.

_"Glorificus," the Doctor whispered._

_"Uh-huh," said Glory. She snapped his jaw closed. "Don't drool, honey. I get it. You're impressed. And who wouldn't be? You're just some mortal, while I'm a god."_

_"But that's impossible!" said the Doctor. "You're... but you can't be... but you are...!"_

_"What?" said Glory. "A myth? Legend? Scary bedtime story?"_

_"You shouldn't exist," the Doctor said. "Not here. Not now. It's impossible."_

The scene froze.

Then faded.

"She never knew why he was so surprised, of course," said the Valeyard. "She always did trump up her own importance."

Jenny gave the Valeyard a small scoff. "Not like anyone _else_ , nearby, then."

"But the Doctor worked it out. Understood who she really was. And who your sister really was."

The projection shifted to show Sunnydale, with the Doctor and Donna in the basement of the Magic Box.

_"...couldn't have just told them she was a goddess, dumbo?" Donna was scolding. Pointed a finger in his face, as he opened his mouth. "Oi! And don't give me any of this twelfth dimensional nonsense. If she's a goddess, you should have said!"_

_"She's really_ not _a goddess," the Doctor insisted._

_"Just because you don't believe in calling things by their proper names," Donna continued, "is no reason to—"_

_"Donna, the Goddess Glorificus destroyed half a universe using a combination of raw power and devastating cunning," the Doctor cut in. He pointed into the distance, vaguely in the direction of her apartments. "This one can't even find a Dimensional Key hidden in plain sight! She's not a goddess, and she's not even the real Glorificus!"_

_"Yeah?" said Donna. "Because she seems pretty bloomin' real to me!"_

_"Trust me, I've_ met _the real Glorificus," the Doctor said. "This isn't her. This one's just... a shell. An insane, empty shell, stuck on that one last task she got before being cut off from the real intelligence of her actual self: get home and get revenge."_

_Donna seemed a little surprised. "You've met the real Glorificus? You…?!" Donna shook her head. "So why didn't you tell Buffy and the others about this? You're saying there's some_ other _hell goddess running about, who's even worse than this one, and you'd rather speak spaceman rubbish than tell them?!"_

_"I can't tell them."_

_"Why not?" Donna demanded._

_The Doctor sighed, and sat down on one of the crates. Shoulders slumping. "Because the real Glorificus," he admitted, "is Buffy Summers' daughter."_

The projection paused.

Jenny didn't believe it. Couldn't.

"You're making it up," Jenny decided. "Fabricating evidence. None of that's true!"

The Valeyard reflected. "It's not beyond me to do so," he admitted. "But in this case… I really didn't have to." He chuckled. "Just think back to everything your dad said about her. Which story does it match up best with?"

And then Jenny remembered.

All those little hints Dad had dropped.

_…doesn't need a key to get into the TARDIS — well, course not, what with her nature and all that…_

_…must be hiding somewhere that was around back in the days of Rassilon; it's the last time_ _Seo's been here…_

_…ah, yes, well, sometimes Glory does break through — even if she does have a bit of an identity crisis…_

* * *

The Tenth Seo didn't want to believe it. Couldn't believe it.

The memories had to be false! Implanted as a trick. Or... some remnant of an overactive imagination trying to reconcile the bits of this world with what she knew in her own.

Maybe... maybe she really was insane, and this was part of the insanity!

For the first time, the Tenth Seo realized she was praying that Jenny was right — and she really _was_ nuts.

Please.

Please, let her be nuts. Let this be her going insane!

Except it wasn't.

She didn't just remember visiting the worlds her other-selves had gone to, back when those worlds had been alive. Didn't just remember them alive. No, worse. Far worse than that!

Now, she was remembering…

Remembering…!

Seo felt her breath coming even faster. She remembered wiping them out. Her hand, causing it! She remembered _enjoying_ it! A diversion. Something fun. Served them right, the little shrimps, thinking they were so great, when they were nothing compared to _her_.

"But that's not me!" the Tenth Seo shouted.

And Seo remembered other things, too. Remembered the moment she'd discovered that she could wipe out the entire universe, and still not vanquish those two morons who called themselves hell gods. Nope! All she'd do, wiping out the universe, would be to weaken herself. And Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee didn't get that at all, did they?

No, war had been _their_ thing. Their way of getting to her before she got a good enough plan together to take them out with no sweat at all. They were brutes — she was class and style and _glory_.

And a glorious new trick up her sleeve was just what she needed, right now.

Seo remembered. The moment she'd connected to the multi-universal bridgehead. Had selected the universe she wanted to be exiled to. Wiped out her enemies' strongholds — like Bvotin, and all the other worlds that had fallen to them — then figured out how to manipulate them into sending her to the universe she wanted. She'd played her part so well, made it seem like she'd really lost the war. Had surrendered to them and everything!

And those idiots believed her!

What buffoons! Couldn't they see? She wasn't _a_ god. She was God. The one and only. The most powerful, most remarkable, only real God in this…!

"No," the Tenth Seo breathed.

She _had_ said it before. Because this was her. Herself. Seo could see through Glory's eyes, know her thoughts, remember her memories of being shoved out of this universe into another one — one with Time Lords and Earth and human beings.

One with Gallifrey.

And a very special weapon.

Seo could remember. Remember locating the Time Lords, back in Gallifrey's earliest days, targeting exactly the item she'd needed...


	45. Chapter 45

Jenny kept watching the projection. As it continued to play. Showing the Doctor — Dad — explaining the whole thing to Donna, back in Sunnydale, in a magic shop basement.

_"First thing you have to know," said the Doctor, clasping his hands, "is that Glory wasn't trapped in a mortal body by her two ex-co-rulers. It was done by my own people, after she arrived here."_

_"Mortal body?" Donna said. Shook her head. "What are you on about?"_

_The Doctor smiled. "The mind wipe's typical of them, too," he said. "After all. Doesn't matter if a compression field breaks, so long as no one on Earth remembers it breaking."_

_Donna didn't seem to get it._

_But the Doctor carried on. "Once you consider that, and consider the fact that my people had our own name for Glory and our own legends about her, separate from yours — well, answer becomes pretty obvious, really."_

_"Not to me, skinny-boy," said Donna, hands on her hips._

_"Glory was looking for a weapon she could bring back with her," the Doctor explained. "To wipe out the other two. Something that could disable, trap, or permanently destroy a twelfth-dimensional being." The Doctor looked up at Donna. "So my people gave her exactly what she wanted."_

* * *

The Tenth Seo remembered… remembered because Glory remembered…

Gallifrey.

Oh, yeah, Glory knew Gallifrey.

A stupid chunk of red rock, orbiting two big nuclear fusion gas-balls, covered with tiny little people who _didn't matter_.

Except that suddenly they did. Because, first of all, they held the keys to the dimensional and universal gateways. And, more importantly, they had the very thing that Glory needed. Something she wanted to take back with her.

So Glory had to come here. To Gallifrey. Had to breach that ridiculous joke of a transduction barrier, then force her way through the palace of the Time Lords like she was some… person.

"Do you think I _want_ to rip your hearts out and tear you to pieces?" Glory shouted at the latest cluster of the Chancellery Guard, whom she was decimating. She grabbed up one of the Time Lords, tearing out his hearts. "I mean, if you just had the decency to friggin' die like a normal person!"

But that was why she was here, of course. That was the whole point. To make people just friggin' die.

Another one of the Chancellery Guard tried to destroy her, and she grabbed this one up by the throat. Watching him struggle beneath her.

"Rassilon will defeat you," the guard wheezed. "He will…"

"Oh, shut up!" Glory shouted, ripping this one in half and tearing out his hearts. These Time Jerks, thinking they were so great just because they popped back every time you put a fist through their heads?

Seriously!

These weren't gods. Just stupid, weak mortals.

And Glory wasn't stupid. She got that their regeneration energy would weaken her. That's why she was a god, and they were tiny little mortals — they couldn't hope to live up to her intelligence. Not now that Glory was learning all the ways to kill these Time Wusses so that they never came back.

So much for regeneration!

Glory kept up the slaughter, for any other Time Lords who tried to stop her. Got into a pattern, ripping out their hearts, and tossing their corpses over a shoulder like the junk they were.

Yeah, whatever, Time Morons!

She, Glorificus, was here for a reason, and she wasn't going to let some tiny little nobodies like these Time Lords or this 'great' Rassilon stop her. She was Glory. She was a goddess.

What was _he_?

Nothing.

"Just the guy who made the thing I want," said Glory, ripping the hearts out of her latest victim, and tossing him aside so she could pick up the object just beyond. The one laid out for all to see.

Oh, look at that! A glowing orb, on display, all nice and neat! Like it was just waiting for her. It was a trap, sure, Glory knew that. Didn't take a genius to work that one out!

But what did she care?

She was Glory.

She _invented_ traps. Invented tricks and sacrifices and all of it. That was her power. Her strength. And how could these Time Jerks ever really compare? She was Glorificus, all powerful and all mighty!

No, actually, she was more than that.

Glory had been in the Garden of Fate. She had heard its whispers spoken on the wind. Heard her destiny.

She, Glorificus, would become the strongest, most powerful goddess ever. The most legendary and exalted. The one whom all would praise, and all would love — far, far into the future, even to the ends of the universe itself. She would shape the universe, change it, and all would love her for that.

But it was more than that, too.

Because fate had said that Glory would be unique. Not just _a_ god, but _God_. The one and only. Ruling over everything. By herself.

Glory chuckled. How could Rassilon trick someone like that? What could Rassilon hope to do, to trap someone like her?

And the Tenth Seo remembered all of this. Remembered thinking it, seeing it, smelling it. Knowing it. Because she'd been there.

She _was_ Glory.

* * *

_"Glory must have come to Gallifrey, back during the days of Rassilon, in order to steal our multi-dimensional compression field technology," the Doctor told Donna. "Use it to trap those other two inside the bodies of mortals, then kill them while they were vulnerable."_

_"No, still don't follow," Donna said._

_"But she was too arrogant to realize my people might use the same trick on her," the Doctor said. "She was holding the one bit of technology in our universe that could destroy her. All my people had to do... was activate it."_

* * *

The Tenth Seo remembered. Remembered through Glory's eyes...

Glory had picked up the glowing orb. Held it, fondly. Then turned.

Great! She'd gotten the goodies. Now, time to find the universal gateways and go home. Get back to her own dimension and her own universe, leave this trash-heap behind!

Hopefully, this universe would burn to nothing in her wake. She'd enjoy that. Cheer her up a little.

That was when she'd spotted the Eye of Harmony.

It was beautiful. A trans-dimensional wonder. Glory had heard about this — heard all the myths and legends and wussy stories. One of her minions had even told her, cowering and trembling before her, that to look into the Eye of Harmony would destroy your soul.

She looked into it, now.

"What soul?" Glory sneered at it. Because she was Glorificus, all powerful, all mighty! She had a destiny and a purpose, she had the means by which she could defeat her enemies, and all she had to do now was go home! Go home, and take her revenge! She...

She…

Had to…

Glory froze.

She could see, inside the Eye. See… something… no, many somethings. She could see herself. Herself, unraveled through time, past, present, and future laid out like a painting before her. She could see every option, every possibility, every future that could unfold from this point on.

She couldn't stop looking.

It drew her in. The Eye. The future. She could almost… hear voices calling to her. Some kind of… telepathic gestalt, a group of at least ten other minds, maybe more, all influencing each other across time and space — except they were also _her_ mind, somehow. Herself. The same but… so different! Glory couldn't even understand them. Those minds… they influenced each other, except they were her, somehow, and so they influenced her, too. The Great Glorificus. They… they…! Glory tried to shake it off, but couldn't. She was… feeling things! Things she'd never felt, before.

What was this… love?

Compassion?

Heartache and caring and… and… self-sacrifice?!

What were these things? What was this… junk?! Why was it suddenly coming through? Why did it have this power over her?

"And so even the mightiest god must fall," called out a deep voice, behind her, "before my greatest achievement. My greatest invention. The Fires of Rassilon!"

Glory didn't even have time to turn around.

Before Rassilon's gesture made the sphere in her hands activate.

* * *

_"Regenerative energy would weaken Glory, in her raw state," the Doctor explained to Donna. Shrugged. "That's how the trap must have worked. Use the compression to squeeze her down, while funneling artron around her and regenerating a new body. One which could trap her. Limit her powers."_

_Donna still seemed lost. "So you're saying... your people," she tried, screwing up her eyes as she attempted to think past the memory wipe, "were responsible for making Glory weak? Sticking her here, on Earth, with reduced powers?"_

_"Yes."_

_Donna surged towards the Doctor. "Well, bloomin' great job you did, there!" she shouted. "Miss hell goddess doesn't seem very weak or trapped to me! She's been beating the living daylights out of you and the others, if you hadn't noticed!"_

_"Except Glorificus — the real one — was brilliant," said the Doctor. Gave a half-smile. "She found a way out of Rassilon's trap. A way that could still give her everything she wanted."_

* * *

And the Tenth Seo remembered screaming, because Glory had screamed, as the Fires of Rassilon poured through her body. The regeneration energy swirling around her, weakening her enough so that she couldn't fight back — just as those energies wove her into her eternal prison.

Stripping away layer after layer of her very essence... reworking it into this new mortal body... this mortal human boy…

No! No! She had to get home! She had to take revenge! She had to…

Then she looked into the Eye of Harmony.

And saw a new possibility within its depths. One that had only come into being because the process of her imprisonment had already started, because the outer-shell of her essence had been stripped away and tucked into the beginnings of a human body.

Glory found a possibility. And knew it was also a way out.

Far into the future, long after Rassilon's death, when Gallifrey was just a memory in a lonely Time Lord's mind, Glory's outer essence — a crazed and deluded caricature of her own mighty, all-powerful splendiferousness — would escape its mortal prison. Attempt to open a portal in a town called Sunnydale. And would be destroyed by a Slayer named Buffy Summers.

Except, to combat this Glory-caricature that had leaked from its human prison… the Monks of the Order of Dagon would create something else.

Something this same Buffy Summers would protect.

A Weapon and a Key. The power to slaughter gods, and the power to travel freely between universes.

Glory couldn't stop the Fires of Rassilon. But she could redirect the Fires beyond the reach of even the Time Lords. Into a side-reality, nestled away in the Axis, after the Time War.

So she did.

Felt every inner bit of her — the true Glory inside of herself — wrenched away and flooded through that Eye of Harmony. As she reached out to meet her destiny...

* * *

_"The shell — the part of Glory that only wanted to go home and take revenge," the Doctor told Donna, "that part turned into Ben Wilkinson."_

_A blank look washed over Donna's face. "Wait, what are you talking about? Did you just change the subject, skinny-boy?"_

_"But the majority of Glorificus went somewhere else," the Doctor said. He looked right into Donna's eyes. "If you wanted to go home to another universe, Donna, and you could choose any body in all of time and space to possess in order to achieve that goal — who would you pick?"_

_Donna frowned. "You?" she tried._

_The Doctor quirked an eyebrow._

_Donna shook her head. Thought even harder. "Someone who could… get her home… by opening…" She froze. "The Key."_

_"Yes."_

_"Dawn?!" shouted Donna, and the Doctor had to shush her before she brought the rest of the Scoobies down there to find out what was going on. "Dawn Summers is...?!"_

_"No, no," said the Doctor. "It's her parallel-self. From an alternate timeline, outside the Time Lords' grasp. A parallel Key, but one who was constructed as a weapon to defeat gods like Glory."_

_Donna seemed to recall. "A parallel timeline," she said, "in which Dawn wasn't Buffy's_ sister _! She was Buffy's_ daughter _."_

_"Exactly."_

_Donna turned. "Then we have to warn Buffy," she decided. "Even if Buffy defeats this Glory-thing, there's still the real one to find and—"_

_The Doctor stopped her. "Donna," he said, softly. "It's all right. I've met her. In a short time, she'll come to this timeline herself. And she will be the sweetest, kindest, most wonderfully brilliant person you'll ever meet."_

_Donna stared at him. "But... she's evil," she insisted. "A hell goddess!"_

_"Glory chose Seo because of her abilities," the Doctor countered. "But if Glory were stuck inside Seo, using a compression field like with Ben and…" The Doctor paused. Then amended, "Like tuna fish inside a tin — Glory would never be able to access the outside tin. She'd be stuck on the inside, only getting out when you opened the tin, but still just tuna fish. Not sharing any of the tin's properties."_

_"Properties like a tough metal exterior," said Donna. "Or proper labeling."_

_"Exactly!" said the Doctor. "It'd always be either Seo or Glory on the outside. Never both. Glory would never be able to access Seo's abilities, and Seo would never be able to access Glory's. Which would mean that Seo was still in charge of all the dangerous bits."_

_"So... then… it's all right?" Donna guessed. "The real Glory lost."_

_"Ah, except," the Doctor qualified, "the real Glory is incredibly bright. Did I mention that?"_

_Donna grimaced. "So she knew."_

_"Oh, course!" the Doctor said. "And Glory wasn't about to stand for that! She wanted those powers."_

_"So how'd she get them?" Donna asked._

_The Doctor looked off into the distance, a fondness washing over him. "She pulled herself through into Seo's dimensions. Merged with Seo completely, the instant that baby was created."_

_"And gained the ability to kill everyone?!" Donna cried._

_"And gained_ a soul _," the Doctor corrected. "The one thing no one had ever counted on."_

_Donna didn't know how to reply to this._

_The Doctor laughed a little, under his breath. "Brilliant, isn't it? Glory got everything she wanted! The power to get home, and the power to take revenge... but in gaining that, she lost any desire to do either. She became… pure."_

* * *

The Tenth Seo continued to kneel down on the floor of her cell. Head still in her hands.

She remembered it all.

Because she'd screwed with her own personal history too much, and something had changed. Reawakened by her constant visits to her universe. These memories were Glory's — these memories were hers. Her father had told her, so long ago — warned her:

_You are Glory. But you're also Seo. And you balance her out well_.

Oh, everything made sense, this way! All those things she couldn't understand, or hadn't wanted to think about! All the events she hadn't wanted to remember — going up against the Cybermen, or that time on Ipoltu, or in the ice caverns of Ciarx. Every time she'd been presented with incontrovertible evidence, every time when she should have figured out the truth…

The Glory inside of her took over. Couldn't accept it. Drove memories and evidence and anything away, rather than prove that she was Glory.

Neither the Glory nor the Seo inside of her could — would — accept the person she'd once been.

Because now, she was Seo and Glory, combined.

One person, one mind, one single entity.

One soul.

"I was God once before," she whispered. Thinking back to everything she'd once done to this universe. She shuddered. "And look at what that made me do!"


	46. Chapter 46

The Valeyard tapped the screen which showed the Tenth Seo, in the other universe. Still inside her cell. "Looks like Seo's just worked it all out for herself," said the Valeyard. He glanced back at Jenny. "Terrifying, isn't it? The one person more evil than me. And she was stuck inside your sister the whole time."

"Seo never knew," Jenny breathed. It was one of those things that Seo, being as clever as she was, should have worked out long ago.

"She never _wanted_ to know," the Valeyard replied. "She's been denying it her whole life. Denying she's evil… just like you keep denying you're evil." He gestured up at the air projection, which shimmered, and changed. "Perhaps the Doctor said it best."

There, in the air, was the Sixth Doctor. Patchwork coat and all. Standing in the doorway to his TARDIS, looking out at where the Ninth Seo had disappeared, with Peri at his side.

_"Should we tell her?" Peri asked him._

_The Doctor turned on her. "Should we tell her?" he cried. "Should we tell her?! Are you mad?!"_

_"I just thought she might be happy to find out she was a goddess, in—"_

_"She just gave up one of her lives to help us," the Doctor said, "without needing or expecting any thanks. Selfless, brave, determined. You want to tell someone like_ that _that she used to be a killer who wiped out half a universe for no reason? You think she'd be_ pleased _to learn something like_ that _about herself?!"_

_Peri faltered._

_"She's a different person, now, Peri," the Doctor said, a little calmer. He looked out, and sighed. "Don't you see? Someone who cares! Someone who understands and regrets and tries to make things better." He shook his head. "If she ever found out the truth... she might try to tear down the walls of our reality just so she could get back and set things right. Make up for her mistakes." He turned back into his TARDIS. "Best just leave things as they are."_

The Valeyard turned back to Jenny.

Who watched, on the monitor that showed the other universe — watched as the Tenth Seo got up inside her cell. A power radiating through her, along with a deadly determination that Jenny only ever saw when Seo was at her angriest.

The Tenth Seo took a hand, and brushed away the energy-wall-looking thing, as if it were a piece of cloth.

Then stepped through.

"Don't you see, Jenny?" said the Valeyard. "That's your sister. Not insane. Not mad. Just a very evil hell goddess. Who's forgotten everything she really was." The Valeyard gently eased the ring off Jenny's finger.

And, in a sudden burst of a powerful ray gun, he blasted it into smithereens.

Destroying any connection with that other universe.

And any chance that Seo might return.

The monitor showing Seo blinked off, and Jenny felt her hearts sink.

"Your sister's not coming back," the Valeyard said. "Not now. Not ever. You pushed her away. Blamed her for everything you did. Told her she was mad. And after she did so much to help you!" The Valeyard shook his head. "Now that she knows the truth… now that you've ditched her and she's gotten everything Glory ever wanted..." His grin spread, "…what's there to come back to?"

* * *

Chaos and Destruction stared as the Tenth Seo brushed aside the wall of souls, as if it were simply a piece of cloth. As it separated, to allow her through.

"But that's..." said Destruction.

"Impossible?" Seo asked. She gave a grim smile. "Oh, you two! How could I ever forget you? The most moronic weaklings in the entirety of this universe!"

Chaos and Destruction tried to summon energies to send out waves of torment…

But their energy failed them.

As with a gesture and a kind smile, Seo got all the minions in the room to flock to her side. Stand by her, in support of her.

Chaos and Destruction backed away.

As Seo turned a sharp glare on them, her wounds and all signs of their torture falling off of her like flecks of old paint.

"Originally, I brought in my previous selves here so I could instill myself with new memories," said Seo, "about how your universe works. And how to manipulate it." She took another step forwards. "But my subconscious guilt over being Glory played out. It remembered those places. Sent my previous selves to the sites of my most horrific massacres, my most egregious mistakes, to set them right. Repair the damage."

She glanced back at the wall of souls. Now quiet.

"Time's finally caught up," the Tenth Seo said. "The souls trapped in that wall remembered what my previous selves did on Bvortin, Urgoz Nutcolz, and in the Vraptorian Galaxy. They recognized my new intentions, and let me through. So that I could make things better. And let them find peace."

Destruction and Chaos tried to run, but with a wave of Seo's hand, a string of magic-looking vines wove themselves across the walls, sealing all inside.

Vines from the Garden that reflected this universe. Vines infused with the magic that had birthed even the three gods who ruled.

"It's all coming back to me, now," Seo said, flexing her wrist. "How I ruled this universe. All the things I could do, just with the power of a thought or the flick of a wrist."

Chaos tried to use his own powers to shred the vines with the ravages of chaotic entropy. Destruction tried to tear down the vines with his own powers.

But the vines still held.

And their powers were too weak to even touch Seo, now.

"I _am_ invincible!" Seo cried, with a little laugh. "I mean, talk about seriously omnipotent!"

"That's impossible!" Chaos protested. "You are Glorificus, strengthened only by the glory of mortals in this realm, and the praises they lavish upon you. You've been stranded away from the people of our universe for centuries! Unable to feed from them! You cannot possibly—"

"But I'm not Glory, anymore," said Seo. "Not even really from this universe, anymore." She stepped forwards, again, her smile spreading. A smile that shone through the darkness of the chamber, shone to illuminate the castle. "I am Seosyrae. I am sunlight in the darkness. Hope for the hopeless. Love for the forsaken." She raised up her arms. "I am Seo. And I save lives."

The minions looked up at her, a rapture on their faces.

"That's my strength, now," said Seo. "And I've been doing it for over a thousand years. In a universe so much vaster than your own. A universe I've saved over and over again." She grinned. "According to the laws of your own reality — how much more powerful am I than you two, now? Do you want to test it?"

Destruction hurled a beam of searing flame at her, but Seo raised up her arm and deflected it, easily. She could feel her every move provoking hope in those around her. These poor minions, who deserved so much more than this life of slavery and servitude.

Their hope strengthened her.

And it was time to pay back the favor.

"I could crush you two," said Seo, "so easily." She held out a hand at them, one bursting with energy. "That's why I was born. How I was made. A killer of gods."

They cowered.

And Seo lowered her hand.

"But all three of us have caused way too much death and misery already," Seo declared. "Just look at how screwed up this universe is! And all because we called ourselves gods. The most powerful, most remarkable, most legendary beings." She shook her head. "I won't be part of that. Not anymore."

"You won't kill us?" said Destruction. He laughed. "You fool!"

"You're half the hell goddess you once were, Glorificus!" said Chaos, joining in.

Seo looked down at her hands. Watched as she saw the raw power of herself, in this universe. And finally… understood what the Garden had told her, all those years ago.

The hell goddess who accidentally gained a soul…

"The strongest," Seo repeated, from memory, "most powerful, most legendary and exalted. That's what the Garden said I'd be. It said I'd shape and change the universe. By myself. And everyone would love me for it." She looked back up at the other two. "And that's all about to happen. You know why?"

They didn't.

"Because _I_ changed," said Seo. "I don't bring glory, anymore." Held out her hands, using the Key part of her to reach across the void and pull energy from the vortex in her own universe. Channeled it through that Key part of herself, feeling it tingle at her fingertips. "I bring forgiveness. I bring second chances."

Then threw out her hands and hurtled the energy straight at the other two.

They screamed.

Then screamed even more as the energy circled them, weakened them, made their multi-dimensional essence drop away and their immortality vanish. They were being compressed down, down, being pulled out of the higher dimensions and then pulled through into the lower ones.

"I bring you something better than you deserve," Seo said. "Souls."

"Mortality," said Chaos.

"Humanity," Seo corrected. Her hand dropped, and she looked out at them, as they changed. "So you'll be like me. Know the difference between right and wrong. Choose a better way."

They howled.

"This is your revenge?" they shouted. "To plague us with emotions and guilt and torment? To drive us insane with the realization of our past crimes?"

Seo shook her head, a laugh passing her lips. "Look at yourselves," she urged.

They did.

And were amazed, as they noticed their mortal bodies getting younger and younger. Rapidly de-aging.

"I don't do torture," said Seo. "Not even when people deserve it." She nodded, with her divine justice. "I told you. I bring forgiveness to this universe. Bring second chances. This… is your second chance."

Their screams turned into wails, as the two gods finally turned into little babies.

Crying and kicking on the ground.

The minions raced out and picked them up. Not sure what to do, or how to react.

"Shall we kill them, oh, mighty Glorificus?" said one of the minions.

"Or shall we raise them as our lords, so that we may praise them?" asked another.

"Or raise them as _your_ servants," offered a third, "to praise and revere you forever and ever?"

Seo lowered her hands. Looked out at the minions, with gentle eyes.

"You don't _have to_ do anything," Seo said, in her calmest, gentlest voice. She took one of the babies from a minion, and cradled it in her arms. "You're free. You can think for yourselves, now. These two... are my responsibility." She looked out, into the distance. "And so is this universe. I guess… if I tore it down, it's up to me to put it back together. Help all those worlds I destroyed, so long ago."

"But surely, ever wondrous, glorious—" one of the minions began.

"Don't praise me," Seo interrupted. Shook her head. "I don't need it, and I don't deserve it. This is my mess, and it's up to me to fix it. Undo the wrongs of the past." She looked down at the baby in her arms. "And raise you two the way Dad raised me. The way I raised little Chiara."

The minions fidgeted. Unsure what to say.

"Can... we help?" they asked.

"Do you _want_ to?" asked Seo.

They all nodded.

"Then, yes," Seo decided. "You can help. But only as long as you want to, only as far as you're doing what you think is right, and only as long as you think for yourselves while doing it. And forgive these children of all their past mistakes. Do you understand?"

They all nodded.

"Good," said the Tenth Seo. Handed the baby to one of the minions. "From now on, this universe is no longer a realm of suffering and despair! No hell dimensions for me, thank you! Time to bring a little forgiveness to this place. Kindness! Checkers and dominoes and hot chocolate on snowy evenings and…"

But then she stopped.

Color drained from her face.

As she heard a telepathic message in her head from someone very far away. Someone she recognized. Someone her ring had been set to recognize, ever since her Ninth incarnation, when she'd set it to pick up that particular psychic resonance.

Seo heard the message.

Felt the connection.

And knew.


	47. Chapter 47

Dawn had been sitting beside the blond, first-incarnation version of Seo, trying to make her comfortable and waiting for Jenny to get back. It was only when Jenny had been gone a while that Dawn started to realize something was up.

And then when Dawn couldn't open the door… that made her pretty suspicious.

Even then, Dawn had just assumed Jenny was trying to get back her sister. No harm done. Okay, maybe a little harm done, but… this wasn't Dawn's fight! Wasn't Dawn's struggle. Wasn't even Dawn's Seo. The best thing was to let it play out. Let the sisters work through their differences.

Then Dawn had gotten a call on her cell phone.

And when she answered, she discovered that things were a whole hell of a lot worse.

As she heard Jenny's voice coming through. From the other room. Jenny was talking to someone, who was trying to convince her that she was evil. And it was pretty obvious that Jenny had purposely intended for Dawn to be listening in.

Dawn didn't _exactly_ get who 'the Valeyard' was, or how he'd come up with such a stupid name, but… he seemed to have something to do with the evil side of the Doctor. And Dawn had seen hints of the Doctor's darker side. It was pretty scary.

Okay. So Dawn was stuck in here, with a totally passed-out Seo, and a locked door. There was a combination that could open the door, but Dawn didn't know it, and there were too many combinations to test. Now Jenny was in trouble. And there was no way Dawn could get to her.

But there had to be.

Right?

After all, Jenny had obviously done this on purpose. Flipped on some communications whatever, in her pocket, to let Dawn know she was in trouble. And make sure Dawn could get out and rescue her.

Dawn just had to keep listening until Jenny explained how to do that.

Which was easier said than done. Since Dawn was listening to Jenny slowly going into self-destruct mode. As the Valeyard convinced her that _she_ was the insane one. That everything she'd done for Seo was actually completely selfish, and evidence that Jenny was entirely evil.

"Hey, Valeyard!" Dawn shouted into the phone. "You suck! And your logic doesn't make sense!"

They couldn't hear her, though.

Dawn was starting to think Jenny would never give her any clues about how to get out of here. Especially not when they got to the Silence, and Jenny had to admit that she'd done it all to stop her sister from killing herself.

The Valeyard calmly explained that this made Jenny evil.

"It makes her a good sister, you idiot!" Dawn retorted. "Geeze! You'd probably manage to make Buffy out as the bad guy even while she was sacrificing herself for the universe!"

Dawn really hoped Jenny got out of this okay.

Because this Valeyard guy needed a punch on the nose, or something!

And then came the part where the Valeyard explained to Jenny that Seo was Glory. Showed how the Doctor had known, even back in Sunnydale, that Seo was Glory. Had known it before he ever worked out that Seo was the Key.

Jenny couldn't believe it.

Dawn could.

"Oh, that makes stuff make way more sense!" Dawn cried. "No wonder the Doctor never dragged Seo back in time to Sunnydale to rescue me! Or to stabilize the universe, when that portal opened! Because he got that Seo was Glory, and if Glory met Glory and Key met Key…"

Well, Dawn didn't know for sure. But she was guessing it'd be one of those major 'Yikes' moments.

And in terms of Seo being the real Glory, except with a soul and stuff…

Yeah. Dawn could see that. Totally.

"I'd way rather have faced off against you, in Sunnydale, as the universe was collapsing," Dawn confessed to the unconscious blond Seo, lying on the bed. "Even when you've got a massive God complex — you're still kind of nice about it."

Her Seo didn't move.

Out cold.

So Dawn kept listening. As the Valeyard gloated that Seo was in Glory's universe, had just realized her true nature, and therefore, wouldn't be returning. Not anytime soon.

And Dawn believed him.

Not because of what the Valeyard said, of course. That would be stupid. But because she knew Seo. And Seo, in that situation, would do the only natural Seo-thing to do. Namely, realize she messed up. And stay behind to fix it.

Put right the universe she'd so nearly destroyed.

Seo wasn't coming back.

Exactly as the Valeyard wanted.

And with Jenny's communicator ring destroyed, Seo wouldn't know there was any reason she should.

"You really did cause Seo to go nuts, huh?" said Dawn. "You sent Seo to that universe on purpose, so she'd remember who she really was. Leaving you back here to grab up her sister — whom you have a pretty creepy obsession over."

Especially the whole pretending-to-be-Jenny's-Dad thing, when Dawn was guessing this Valeyard just had the hots for her.

Yeah.

Really creepy.

"You made this all happen!" Jenny realized.

"Of course," the Valeyard agreed. "But then again, I'm extremely clever. Far more than either of you." He chuckled to himself, softly. "Seo isn't God in this reality, Jenny. I am. The Ultimate Time Lord Victorious."

Where had Dawn heard that phrase before?

"You used us to destabilize Dad's timeline," said Jenny. "So you could move back and forth along it, steal his regenerations, and take his place in history!" Her voice faltered, and Dawn could tell Jenny was losing it. Even as she kept trying to fight back. "For what? For Gallifrey? So you could make sure it never came back and you never lost your hold over the universe?"

"Hardly; I manipulated the Time Lords once before," said the Valeyard. "I can manipulate them all over again. The Doctor's timeline being in flux does help me, yes. But not because of _them_."

Gallifrey.

Now that was something Dawn _didn't_ understand.

She'd been pretty sure the Time Lords were all dead and that Gallifrey was gone. After all, she'd seen the Doctor moping about it often enough! But… obviously, by the time Jenny and Seo got to their 10th incarnations… Gallifrey and the Time Lords were back in existence.

Because of… something the Doctor did.

Weird.

(But then again, if anyone could undestroy a planet, it'd be the Doctor. Or… Willow, in a fit of serious magic that drove her insane. Dawn could see that.)

"Because of me, then?" Jenny said. "To convince me I'm evil?"

"You _are_ evil," the Valeyard replied, with a far-too-smooth voice. "Accept that."

"Seos one, four, three, and nine can't be wrong!" Jenny shouted. "I said! One! Four! Three! And nine!"

One, four…?

Oh, God!

That was the door code! Jenny had said it, right at the very beginning! Been stalling the guy the whole damn time! And Dawn was too stupid to realize!

"Sorry, Jenny," said Dawn, scrambling to the door. And inputting the correct code.

The door slid open.

"It's too late," the Valeyard said.

"Not if I call across to Seo's universe," Jenny proposed. "Make telepathic contact. Let Seo know you're here."

"But you can't contact her without your ring," the Valeyard replied. "Or the Doctor's TARDIS — which has already left that universe. Face it, Jenny. She isn't coming to save you. Not this time. Your sister is gone." His voice lowered to a growl. "You are mine."

"Maybe I don't need _Seo_ to save me," Jenny retorted.

Okay! _That_ one Dawn got. Obviously, Jenny wouldn't have been that stupid about the telepathic-message thing if she hadn't been trying to tell something important to Dawn.

Something Dawn understood.

Because Jenny might be able to only communicate across universes using her ring… but Dawn was the Key.

And universe-transcending was no biggy to her.

"What do you mean by that?" the Valeyard demanded.

"I've defeated you in the past," Jenny put in, quickly. Trying to cover. "I can defeat you, again, now."

"After everything you've done in this incarnation, Jenny?" the Valeyard asked. "All the deaths you've caused? The torments you've inflicted?"

Dawn tried to focus. How could she do this?

Okay, to create a stable portal, she needed... something telepathic, to reach out to Seo so she could stabilize it... and a drop of Dawn's own blood.

Something telepathic... like Jenny's TARDIS!

"You destroyed a star system," the Valeyard was saying. "Destroyed its sun, and watched as it was incinerated."

Dawn crept down the hallway. Made her way towards the main area.

"I had to stabilize history," said Jenny.

"And blackened your own soul, doing so," the Valeyard pointed out. "Wiped out billions of innocents and hated yourself every single moment. Weakening yourself — and making me stronger."

Dawn turned off her phone, as she turned the final corridor. Crept down it, towards the main area. Where Jenny was. She could see them, now. The Valeyard, evil-looking and ruthless, looming over Jenny, his hands reaching out to touch her head.

The moment they made contact, Jenny gave a horrified gasp.

"So much easier, now, to take your mind and claim everything you are," the Valeyard said, his voice creepy and slippery. "Your mind so much bleaker than ever before. You are the thing the Doctor hated most, created in his image. Aren't you, Jenny? A soldier. Born to kill. Born to destroy. Follow orders to the last, without caring what the consequences are."

"That's not me," Jenny insisted, but her voice sounded more like a whimper.

Dawn held her breath.

Then snuck past, quietly as she could. Edging nearer and nearer to Jenny's ship.

"No better than a Dalek," the Valeyard continued.

"That's only what _you_ keep saying I am!" Jenny cried, alarm and pain flooding her voice. She struggled, harder, but to no avail. "I am Jenny! I'm not a Dalek! I'm not Evil Dad! I'm just Jenny!"

"The generated anomaly, created for guns and warfare," the Valeyard continued. "Created for everything your daddy abhorred. Created to be everything he chose not to be. You _are_ me, Jenny. You always have been. If the Doctor is dead, _you_ will bring me into full existence."

Dawn stumbled. Jenny, noticing out of the corner of her eye, screamed to cover up the noise.

Oh, God. She was suffering, and still trying to cover Dawn's tracks for her! Geeze, as sisters went, Seo had gotten super-lucky with this one.

Talk about Buffy-in-a-bottle.

For just a second, Jenny's eyes met Dawn's. And Dawn could see something so desperate, so scared, deep down in those eyes. Something frantically fighting for its life, and not sure how much longer it could hold out.

Then the eyes flicked over to a spot on the wall.

And then squeezed shut, as Jenny gave another scream.

Oh. The key to Jenny's ship! Yeah, of course Dawn would need that!

"And I will be so powerful," the Valeyard said. "I will conquer the Time Lords — past and present. Gain the sum total of their knowledge. Not even they can defeat me. Not even the Doctor can! I will become the ruler of reality. The master of time!"

"You can't!" Jenny shouted, at the top of her voice, trying to make as much noise as possible to cover Dawn's advance. "It's wrong! I won't let you! You can't do this!"

Dawn took advantage of the noise to dart over and reach up on tip-toes, into the little hidey-hole way up in the wall. She felt for the key, and it clattered before falling into her hand.

The Valeyard heard the clatter.

Began to turn.

But Jenny head-butted him backwards, so that he lost his balance and toppled to the ground.

Dawn raced to the door of Jenny's space ship, turned the key in the lock.

"Stop!" The Valeyard commanded, as a burst of exploding quills raced out from his hands.

But Dawn ducked inside and shut the door before they impacted.

Safe.

No! No time for down-time! Come on, Dawn! Let's do what you're good at! Let's poke a bunch of buttons, think nice thoughts, and hope you don't blow up the universe while trying to save Jenny.

So Dawn did exactly that.


	48. Chapter 48

The Valeyard roared with rage. Jumped to his feet and advanced on Jenny. "You think you can escape me?!"

"Dawn can use my ship to reopen the gateway between here and Gallifrey," said Jenny. "I said the Time Lords were paranoid. If you're trying to kill Dad in his own past — they'll get rid of you. And with my sister locked away inside Glory's universe, the Time Lords won't be able to reach her. She's safe. So I've got nothing to fear by letting the Time Lords in."

The Valeyard composed himself. Then went over to a control panel, and with the flip of a switch, all power to Jenny's ship ceased. And the ship went into blackout.

Jenny felt her hearts sink.

Had Dawn had enough time? Had she even been able to decipher enough of her ship to know what buttons to press?

"There is nothing you can do that I have not already foreseen," said the Valeyard. "Nothing I have not prepared for."

Jenny didn't answer.

He sauntered towards her. Reaching out, again. "I am alive because of you," he said. "And I am so close to full power. Soon, Jenny, you'll give me what I need. You'll make me the ruler of all reality!"

But he never made it to Jenny.

Because a gust of wind surged through the room and a burst of light ripped across the air, cracking the universe around it and opening to reveal an ethereal figure, stepping through.

The Valeyard stared, as the crack sealed up behind Seo. And Seo, in only a few steps, stood directly between her sister and the dark visage of the Valeyard.

Seo's dark eyes were twinkling. Her mahogany hair still billowing out around her.

"Leave," commanded the Tenth Seo.

The Valeyard's shock turned to outrage. "You can't be here!" he shouted. "I gave you everything you wanted! I took you home! Gave you your revenge! Gave you the means to make the universe better and fix your past mistakes. You became God, in that realm! The one and only God!"

Seo looked off at Jenny's ship. A smile touching her lips, as the doors opened, and Dawn stepped out and waved at her.

"Sister, or God?" Seo shrugged. "Sister. Any day."

Dawn nodded. Acknowledging the good influence of her own auntly advice.

"Jenny is already mine," the Valeyard said. "She always has been. An evil version of the Doctor, just like me. The perfect—"

"Just like you?" said Seo. "And why do you think you're an evil version of Father, if — according to you — _Jenny_ made you? Wouldn't you be an evil version of _her_?"

The Valeyard didn't answer.

"I've finally figured out your secret," said Seo. Then, with a brief glance at Jenny, "You know why Father's dead? Who stopped him getting the next set of regenerations that the rest of the Time Lords wanted to give him, on Trenzlaore?"

"The CIA," Jenny said. With a small groan. "You only berated me about it for centuries."

"That's what we _thought_." Seo turned back to the Valeyard. "Funny thing. Just nipped back to Gallifrey at that time, while passing through to this universe, and — turns out, CIA Coordinator Heizinol was very strongly influenced by a mysterious presence in the Matrix. One who wanted that extra regeneration cycle for himself, instead of for Father." Her eyes flashed. "Sound familiar?"

Jenny stared at Seo. "You… went back in time… back into Gallifrey's past?! After everything you've done, you actually…?!"

"Oh, I'm not mucking about with history!" Seo pointed at the Valeyard. " _He_ was, Jenny! Don't you see? That's how this all started! Father was _always_ supposed to get that brand new set of regenerations — he was supposed to survive Trenzalore! Ever since he saved Gallifrey, that was how history was supposed to go!"

"What?"

"But the Valeyard intervened," said Seo. "The Valeyard was going to get in the way of the transfer, and steal those regenerations for himself. He tried to trick the CIA into helping — but Coordinator Heizinol double-crossed him. Sealed the crack in the universe before anyone could give out any more regenerations. Father died forever — and that was too big a change to the Valeyard's personal timeline for him to survive."

"But I was clever," the Valeyard sneered. "I survived, anyways."

"Using me," Jenny realized.

"So the Valeyard escaped right into your head, Jenny," Seo agreed. "Had to use you to corporealize. Build himself up again. Otherwise, he might have melted away."

"And that's why history's been tying itself in knots around the point of Dad's death!" Jenny said. "Because of him! The Valeyard! He mucked up history before we ever arrived!"

Seo clasped her hands behind her back. "So… I've taken care of it," she replied, proudly. "Using up the last of my residual godlike powers from Glory's universe to force the Valeyard out of the way at just the right moment. Father got his regenerations. History became untangled. And… well… it's just a matter of time before things stabilize."

Jenny stared.

Then cracked a smile. "You did it. You saved Dad."

"And didn't even kill myself in the process!" Seo laughed, throwing open her arms. "How about that for my godhood grand finale?"

The Valeyard gave a slow clap.

"So you rewrote history," he snarled. "Extended the Doctor's life. Just as I planned. Thus allowing me my _true_ existence. My _true_ power!"

Jenny's eyes fell back on the Valeyard.

The fear re-igniting inside of them, all at once.

"I was a shard of myself, before," said the Valeyard. "Using Jenny to keep myself alive. But now, I don't need to! Now, I am whole! I'll use Jenny to avoid any more nasty brushes with paradoxes, go back in time and replace the Doctor, becoming what you — Seo — can never be! Unlike me, you will always be the twisted little shard of Glorificus sealed away in a mockery of a Gallifreyan body. A weak little—"

"But I'm not a shard," said Seo, steadily. "I never was. I _am_ Glorificus. Just as much as I'm Seo." She stepped forwards. "That's why you've always been afraid of me."

"Because you _used to be_ a god, almost was one, again — and gave it up?" said the Valeyard, as he stepped back. "Right here, right now, you're nothing. The idiot who gave up everything to save a doomed sister. _I_ am God."

Step forward from Seo. "You?"

Step back from the Valeyard. "Yes!"

Step forward. " _You're_ the one with the power?"

Step back. "Power over time, space, everything in this reality! Power over you!"

Step forward. "But you're still backing away from me."

The Valeyard noticed. Then took two giant, defiant steps back. And raised up his exploding quills. "To allow me to use these."

He raised his arm to throw.

Then yelped, as another crack in reality opened up, again. Right where he was standing. Its light enveloping him.

"You'll probably want to watch out for that," Seo called, as he was swept inside. "Still some pretty raw cracks left over. Could give way at any moment!"

He cried for vengeance, cried a thousand curses out at Seo and Jenny.

As he was sucked through.

And out of this universe.

* * *

The Valeyard awoke to find himself in a dungeon. A dungeon featuring an impenetrable force wall.

Two young boys were looking in at him. Curiously.

"He doesn't _look_ scary," said the shorter. "But Mama Mxowi says he's the embodiment of evil. And we should stay away from him."

The taller squinted. "He looks like us," he remarked. "Not pimpled or with wispy hair. I've never seen anyone who looks like us, before."

"Does that make _us_ evil?" the shorter asked.

The taller thought about this. "I think we get to choose that for ourselves," he said. "If we want to be good or evil. And what to do with our lives when we grow up."

The Valeyard jumped to his feet. Tried to access the Time Vortex, thereby fleeing through the Doctor's personal time-stream, as he'd done before when in a tight spot. He could escape even this cell and Seo's trap, then could use his powers combined with everything he'd drained from Jenny in order to...

Except the Doctor's timeline had been stabilized another way.

The stream the Valeyard had been riding… was gone.

And Jenny was out of his reach.

"No," the Valeyard said. "I can't be stuck here! I can't be trapped! This isn't my universe! This isn't…!"

Then he remembered the children. Looked more closely at them. And realized who and what they really were.

The Valeyard sneered.

"Ah, the two dethroned hell gods," he said. Beckoned them closer. "Come here. Come closer, you sniveling little idiots. Listen to someone clever, someone brilliant, and hear what I can offer you. Other universes! Other realms with other rules! Power beyond your wildest—!"

"He's not very nice," said the shorter. He made a face. "If that's what being evil is like, I don't think I want it."

"No," the taller agreed. "It just makes him angry, and locked up so he can't play games or run in the Garden."

"That's no fun," the shorter said. Then grinned, and raced off. "Let's go play 'Fix Up the Universe!' I bet I can beat your score!"

"Yeah? Well, next time, I'll save twenty planets from starvation! And defeat that evil demon — all by myself!" shouted the taller, racing after his fellow. "Beat that!"

They both laughed, as they raced down the corridors and out of sight.

Leaving the Valeyard alone.

Abandoned. Exiled.

In a universe not his own.

"Get me out of here!" he shouted. Then, staring up at the ceiling, "Seo! GET ME OUT!"


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for following this story, and giving me so many reviews about it! It's been a long storyline, with Sunglasses, but hopefully a good one. This story concludes the Sunglasses storyline. Next, we'll move on to the Buffy storyline, with "Four Five Six".
> 
> I know at least one person has asked me if the story will make sense if they haven't seen that Torchwood series. The answer? I hope so. I wrote the story with the intention of not being boring for those who have seen the episode, but to still kind of make sense to those who haven't.

"You left him in Glory's universe, with the boys?" Jenny asked. "Isn't that potentially dangerous?"

The Tenth Seo shrugged. They were sitting on a small bridge, over a stream in the middle of gardens covered with snow. Seo kicking her feet out, over the edge. Hands clutching the sides.

The sun set, over the horizon.

Just as it had set over the fields of Trenzalore, back when all this had started. When Seo and Jenny had gathered to begin the Fall of the Eleventh.

Here they were.

Back on Trenzalore.

But — this time — history had changed. And the planet was no longer a graveyard.

"I sent the Valeyard a little ways into their future," said Seo. "He won't corrupt them." She smiled. "In fact, I think he might help. Show them just how obnoxious evil people can be." She hesitated. "Or… that version of him, anyways."

"There's another version of him?" said Jenny.

Seo indicated the gardens around them. Along with the smattering of children's laughter, from nearby. "All of history is changing," she said. "The Valeyard we knew was from a version of time where Father died too early, causing the Valeyard to nearly disappear. Now that Father's back… maybe the Valeyard will be, too. A little different, but just as evil."

Jenny's head was already swimming.

As she remembered how time was, before. How time was rewriting itself, now that Dad survived past the battle on Trenzalore Fields. How history altered.

"A different Valeyard," Jenny reflected. "All that time without him stuck in my head. How will _that_ change our pasts?"

Seo shrugged.

The smile dropping from her face. As she looked down at the river beneath her feet.

"My past keeps changing even without rewriting history," she admitted.

Jenny put her hand over Seo's, trying to comfort her.

"I remember it, now," Seo said, very softly. Her face bent into seriousness and sorrow. "Being Glory. It's like… remembering another regeneration." She paused. "Like when you remember you used to like pineapples. Remember just loving them, doing anything to get one, wanting to eat pineapples until you exploded in a burst of pineapple goodness!" She made a face. "Even though, in this incarnation, I wouldn't eat a pineapple to save my life. Yech!"

Jenny chuckled to herself. Only Seo could talk about remembering being a murdering maniac who wiped out half the universe… in terms of pineapples. And be completely serious about it.

"I wanted to kill those two hell gods so much, once," said Seo, her face bending even deeper. "I remember needing it. Longing for it. Being willing to wipe out half a universe for it. Like it would physically hurt if I _didn't_." She shook her head. "But that's not me, anymore. This way… my way… was better."

"Giving them a chance to grow up," said Jenny. "Start again. Very Seo."

They both stayed in silence, for a little while.

"And their universe?" said Jenny, at last. A little hesitantly.

"Is in their hands," said Seo. "When they grow up. They're mortals, now — with very long lives. It'll make them value life. And when they get to a certain point, they'll regain their powers over reality." She kicked her feet over the side of the bridge. "This time, hopefully, they'll do it right."

"The minions were happy about it?"

"Oh, very," said Seo. "They loved the idea. Those minion guys can be geniuses, you know. And unlike Glory's minions, Destruction and Chaos didn't inspire love or devotion in _their_ minions. They inspired fear."

"So the moment the hell gods turned to babies and became defenseless…" Jenny said.

Seo nodded. "Any hold they had over their minions was broken. Everyone was equal. Minions and hell gods." She stared down at the water. "Those minions will raise the boys well. I'm sure."

"You… wish you could have raised them yourself," Jenny guessed. "Made sure they grew up right."

Seo thought a moment. "I wish I'd taught them to play Pooh-sticks," she decided. "Chiara always loved playing Pooh-sticks. Winnie the Pooh was her favorite." A sadness fell across Seo. "I miss Chiara so much, sometimes."

"You gave her a good life," Jenny said. "The best life. And the best childhood."

Seo sighed. "Humans. They live such a short time."

"But we love them."

Seo looked up at Jenny. "They're my people," she said. "And I always stick up for my people. Same way I always stick up for you."

Jenny bit her lower lip.

"Aunt Dawn told me what you said," said Seo. "To the Valeyard. All the things you did for me. All the bad things I made you do, because you wanted to help me. I… guess I didn't realize. I'm sorry."

Jenny looked away. Cringed. "He said I blamed you. For my mistakes."

"But _I_ never said that," Seo replied. "The mistakes were mine. We both accepted that. What we disagreed on was… the aftermath."

"The insanity."

"I wasn't insane," Seo said, simply.

"You called yourself God!" Jenny cried. "I had to do something! I couldn't just let you—"

"But I _was_ God, you know," said Seo. She turned Jenny around to look at her. "The most powerful, most important, most unique god in the entirety of Glory's universe. It's what fate said, and it's what I became. The one and only."

Jenny couldn't argue with that.

"And did you like it?" Jenny asked.

They both met each other's eyes.

Then Seo made a face and stuck out her tongue. "Are you kidding? Rather read a good book!"

Jenny chuckled.

That was the Seo she knew and loved.

"Supreme godhood's not all it's cracked up to be," Seo admitted. "One day, you're helping people and righting wrongs, and the next, you're going all hell goddess and turning the universe inside out. And no one will try to stop you, or stand up to you, because no one can. And everyone's praising you all the time, or trying to get you to tell them what to do — and no one ever dares to beat you at checkers." She wrinkled her nose. "I mean, what's the point in playing if they're never going to try?"

"You're starting to sound like your old self," Jenny pointed out. "Reckless and…" She stopped. Hesitated.

"Irresponsible?" Seo put in.

Jenny didn't answer.

"I would have done it, you know," Seo admonished, with the raise of her eyebrows. "Because I had to. Because it was my responsibility to set things right and remake that universe. I wouldn't have enjoyed it, but I'd have done it." She put her arm around Jenny's shoulders. "Still. I'm glad you called me back. All those superpowers might not work in this universe, but… even so. Rather be home, any day."

Jenny put her arm around Seo.

And they sat there. On the bridge of a garden on the planet Trenzalore. Looking out at the sun, as it set over the horizon.

"Even if home… is changing," Seo said. She looked back at Jenny. "You remember him better, now, huh?"

Jenny did.

As if time were rewriting her life, so that Dad was always in it. Had been with her for centuries.

So that Dad was still alive, even now. Still saving the universe. Still saving people.

"It's like he never died," said Jenny. "Thinking back through our lives… our rediscovering Gallifrey, everything that happened with the link and the gateway, everything we did… it's all different. All changing."

"A new adventure," said Seo. She shifted in place. "And a good thing, too! After all. He might be a little offended that we never actually _finished_ the Eleventh Fall."

"If he didn't die, we never actually started it," Jenny pointed out.

They both laughed, a little.

Then looked out, musing over the implications of it all.

"Our whole lives," said Jenny. "Rewritten. All those Falls never happening, all those paradoxes never beginning. All those times we sat and cried together — none of them will ever have…"

"That's one of the advantages of having a sister who goes crazy and invades your own past," Seo replied. She dusted off her hands, as if congratulating herself for a job well done. "Normally, this kind of change would take a while to catch up to us. But, because of what I did — our personal timelines are both in flux. Time isn't just being rewritten — _we're_ being rewritten, too. We might not even remember this timeline, after it all changes."

Jenny tensed.

Then got up from the bridge. "I have to go."

"Back to Gallifrey?" Seo guessed, getting up, herself. "To stabilize us so we're like we are now, before the change takes hold?"

Jenny didn't answer.

Turned away.

"Think about it, Jenny!" said Seo, catching Jenny's arm. "Our whole lives, with Father! All that time we can spend with him, instead of mourning him!"

"You're just doing this to save your aunt," said Jenny. "I know how much you've wanted that."

"I'm doing it for _you_ ," Seo countered. Turning her sister around to face her. "Because you've given up way too much for me. And you shouldn't have had to. With Father around… you won't."

Jenny didn't answer.

"Think about it, Jenny! Why stabilize time so the news he's still alive will only affect us _now_ , in our tenth incarnations?" Seo urged. "Live a little! Take a risk! No point spending multiple regenerations mourning over something that never actually happened. Father did that, and we teased him mercilessly over it!"

"But I have to stabilize _something_ ," said Jenny. "There are too many paradoxes involved in this incident. Some of what we did, now, has to stand — or causality won't work."

"But not all of it," said Seo. "Not the Falls. Not his grave. Let _that_ change."

Jenny swallowed hard. "But… if I don't have that," she said, in a small voice, "how can I guarantee… I'll still be me?"

"Because I'm still me," Seo replied. "And I just learned I destroyed half a universe for no reason." She took her sister's hands in her own. "You're Jenny. I'm Seo. That's who we are. It's who we'll always be. Doesn't matter if there are other Time Lords, or no Time Lords. If Father died or remained alive. Or even if one of us is actually a hell goddess who murdered countless numbers of innocent people! We're Jenny and Seo, we look out for each other — and _that_ will _never_ change."

Jenny hesitated.

Then gave a shy smile, back at Seo.

As the sun set beneath the horizon. Casting its last shadows out over Seo and Jenny.

"That'll never change," Jenny agreed.

And so, on the planet Trenzalore, day fell to night.

As day always falls to night. Day falling to night, just as one century falls to the next, and one millennia falls to its successor — for, in the end, all must fall. But the love two sisters share for one another — that is eternal.

Across any timeline. Any alteration.

A love that will never fail.

Thus ended the Falls of the Doctor.


End file.
